


The View from a Gilded Cage

by hakkais_shadow, katamari



Category: GOT7
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, I promise we will continue Walls of Glass, Jackson is my spirit animal, Jinyoung doesn't like that last tag, Jinyoung hates phlebotomy, Jinyoung is starting to see the joys of phlebotomy, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, especially Jaebum, everyone is awkward, here a cameo there a cameo, kim jongdae is my other spirit animal, procrastination leads to new AUs, shifters are people too
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2019-10-05 18:59:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 34,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17330594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hakkais_shadow/pseuds/hakkais_shadow, https://archiveofourown.org/users/katamari/pseuds/katamari
Summary: The Vampire Rebellions took place several hundred years ago - and humans lost. Now it was expected that every human once they reached the age of 16 begin their quarterly donations at the Center, a pint of blood to fulfill their obligations and guarantee their safety for the months to come.Jinyoung had done his duty for the past 3 years, no matter how much he hated giving anything to the bloodsuckers. It was just another day, another donation.Until it wasn't.





	1. Chapter 1

The safest time to be outside was on a sunny, cloudless day, the kind where even the buildings seemed to reflect the joy that living creatures had on a beautiful day without responsibilities.  It was the kind of day where any parent would announce to their children that instead of school, they were going straight to the beach. Instead of simply texting their crush, it was the day where one would finally muster up the courage to ask them out on a picnic in one of the lush parks that dotted the cityscapes. The birds sang, the air smelled sweet, and the world would be at peace.

 

Supposedly those days were common before the Vampire Rebellions over several hundred years ago, and now their scarcity made humans wait with bated breath for time when they could walk outside safely without fear of harassment or sudden, unwanted bites. Humans would remain locked in their houses, the shades drawn and their children huddled close, with whispers of rebellion against the vampire pandemic that had taken over the world.

 

Then came civilization, the vampire-human treaties, the history that each child learned in schools – that to stop the vampires from raging, they required small amounts of human blood each day to keep their cravings in check. The blood donation centers that required humans to report dutifully for their appointments every twelve to sixteen weeks after they reached the age of 16, depending on the donor or supply. The notices came delivered to each human’s phone – and severe fines and penalties awaited any human who tried to skip out on donating.

 

“Number 65…..number 65….” came the bored voice through the speakers that sounded up and down the long, dimly lit hallway of the donation center, washed out grey walls decorated by fading colored posters extolling the virtues of doing your duty to “Keep the Peace!”

 

Jinyoung sighed as he looked down at his own number, a “68” scrawled spiderlike on the dingy chip of plastic in his hand, paint flaking off onto his fingers. It, like everything else, had seen much better days….

 

Everything had seen much better days.

 

Jinyoung was too young to remember what it was like when vampires weren’t out in the public - that was in his great-grandfather’s time. All he knew was the washed out grey world he lived in - the walls of his home were grey, the walls of his school was grey...he _felt_ grey.

 

“Number 66….Number 66….”

 

From home to work then back home again. It was the same thing, day after day. The only variation from the daily routine was when his phone chimed every 3 months, reminding him that he needed to give up part of his _self_  to keep the monsters happy.

 

“Number 67…..Number 67….”

 

“Let’s just get this over with,” the young man muttered to himself, shifting his stance when the middle aged woman in front of him was called up. He’d stood in this line 15 times before, once every 3 months since he’d turned 16 and he was almost 20 now. He’d do this at least a hundred times more before he died, tired and worn out has his father had been, life spilled into a bag for those assholes to enjoy….

 

“Number 68.”

 

“Number 68.” The intercom sounded a second time, just as it did for every human that passed through the center. There was little stirring in the waiting room or hallways – although this had been an important part of daily adult life for over a century, no one quite liked it.

 

It wasn’t the needles, or the way that the technicians’ faces seemed to blend together. It was rare to hear a hiss of pain or a request not to donate – those were almost always turned down, with exceptions to the critically ill. It wasn’t the glassy-eyed stares of those in the waiting room, the irritating clicking of the receptionist’s pen, or the occasional protest outside (not that those went anywhere, they’d be in line to donate when the time came, just like everyone else.)

 

“Number 68?” The technicians were always fresh-faced and clean-cut and had a high turnover rate – they were to be the cheery young sparks of energy that always seemed so _enthusiastic_  and _proud_  that humans were performing their lawful duty. They recruited straight out of the high schools – Jinyoung had seen the many recruitment posters dotting the walls back then – and within a year or two, had suddenly disappeared into the grey masses, with another young kid taking their place.

 

No, it wasn’t that either.

 

“Number 68, please report to room five for your donation.”

 

The plainly dressed young man scrawled ‘Park Jinyoung’ on the touch screen, verifying his name, age, and blood type before he followed the technician into the aforementioned room. He knew the exact moment her eyes scanned past his name and age and read his blood type. He had grown used to the arched eyebrows and looks he sometimes received when his blood type was noticed.

 

“A positive, Mr Park? That is quite unusual, isn’t it?” the young woman murmured, trying to make small talk.

 

“Guess so,” Jinyoung remarked blandly. “Makes me a real winner, doesn’t it?” He rolled up his sleeve as he sat down. “Let’s just get this done so I can get back to work, shall we?”

 

“As an A positive, I’d imagine that you’re a personal servant.” The technician pulled on a fresh pair of gloves and waited for Jinyoung to lie on the thinly-covered metal recliner before proceeding. “But if you’re here, well then I suppose not.” She turned up the cheeriness in her voice to hide the slight echo of despair that had crept in over the past few weeks. “You must simply love coming to our center instead!”

 

“I don’t think ‘love’ is the word I would use to describe coming to this place,” Jinyoung replied as he laid back, the recliner no more comfortable than it had been any other time he had been there. “I do it because it is the rules - nothing more, nothing less. The sooner I am out of here the better. Then I can get back to work….which is definitely not for those bloodsuckers.”

 

The technician fell silent for a few moments while she steadied her needle to slip into the correct spot. “Well, you do have good veins,” she commented. “Just lay back and relax, Mr. Park. I’ll alert you when you’ve completed your duty.”

 

With the flick of a button, she dimmed the lights and started the soothing music – this time it was heavier on the flute than she liked, but it seemed to relax her older patients.

 

Her last patient mentioned that she worked in a factory that made electronic parts, she mused to herself while she watched the bag fill. That seemed less soul-sucking than being an attaché to the vampires, perhaps that was something she should be looking into…

 

“So if you aren’t working for the vampires, what are you doing?” It never hurt to expand her career options.

 

“I research and catalogue our past - a past without vampires and blood donation centers, when there was sunlight and fresh air and everything that we should have now but don’t,” Jinyoung answered bitterly. His father had been much more optimistic but his son had inherited none of that innocent wonder - there wasn’t any room for that kind of sentiment in this world.

 

He only wished there was, even if it had just been for his father’s sake.

 

He closed his eyes for a moment, as if doing so would help the blood flow more freely.

 

Unbeknownst to Park Jinyoung, there was indeed something happening to his blood - but the consequences were anything but free.

 

She had heard of the times that her patient had spoken of and often wondered just what it was like to be free – plus books and libraries sounded far more appealing than the sterile white electronics factories or the drabness of the donation centers that seemed to constantly close in on her. “Perhaps on the farms,” she mused, not that there was any more freedom there. “You’d get more sun and wind, right? Too bad everything is owned by the vampire families.”

 

A soft chime alerted from her console, and she made a move to disconnect the bag – but the flashing alert caught her eye.

 

“Um…Mr. Park…” she sounded hesitant as she read the alert again, that couldn’t be right. “….Have you…do you know your family tree?”

 

“You’d be allowed sun and wind if they let you have it,” Jinyoung murmured. “Out of the goodness of their vampire hearts - if they even have them.”

 

He shrugged at the girl’s question. “Not really. I know my Dad was adopted from one of the Children’s Centers when he was only a few months old - at least that’s what my family told me.”

 

She started disconnecting the equipment, questions racing through her head as she worked. It had just been calibrated, she performed the tests herself, there had been no problems, but if this Mr. Park’s story was correct, then that would be considered a probable cause.

 

She took a breath to steady herself.

 

“Well that’s today’s donation, Mr. Park…and normally this is where I tell you my name and ask for a rating for the services you received today.” Her eyes averted as she applied the dressing. “…And normally I’d send you off to the recovery room right away. But today…”

 

How did the other techs do it? How did they give bad news?

 

Jinyoung sat up, brow furrowing as he held onto the dressing to help staunch the flow of blood until the bandage was secured. Something wasn’t right…

 

“But today…” he prompted her. “I know I gave the amount due. I don’t have time to give any extra. I know they like A positive blood but I’ve been told I don’t have to give more than what is required by law.” He stood, steadying himself as a wave of dizziness washed over him. He needed to remember to get up more slowly next time…

 

“No, you’ve given enough…Mr. Park, I really don’t know how to say this. It’s never come up.”

 

She racked her brain, thinking back on her training, back to that unlikely scenario…oh right, smiling throughout. There was a script, wasn’t there?

 

She plastered a cheery smile on her face. “Mr. Park, I’m pleased to tell you that by way of your unusual family tree, your blood now possesses the beautiful and rare Shifter gift. Congratulations on becoming closer to the upper echelons!”

 

Jinyoung froze, his eyes widening as he processed the words the girl had just recited. He shook his head as if to clear it of such nonsense. Shifters were nothing but myths and tall tales that were told at bedtime. Being the bookworm that he was he'd read plenty of the tales. Sure, there had been werewolves and fae in the past but vampires had pretty much hunted them down decades ago. Even the thought of him - Park Jinyoung - possessing even a drop of Shifter blood was ridiculous.

 

“Listen, I don’t have the time for this bullshit. I need to get back to work. I’ll be back in 12 weeks like I am every single damned time.” And with that Jinyoung grabbed his jacket and headed for the door, staggering slightly. He didn’t need the protein drinks and stale cookies in the recovery room…

 

“My name is Alina, please rate the services that you received today, thank you for coming!” she managed to spit out loudly, then tried to stop him at the door. She glanced up at the camera on the wall and made sure to face away so that it couldn’t see her lips moving; she already knew the microphone was too old to pick up her voice if she spoke quietly enough.

 

“It’s only six weeks between donations for Shifters, and you’ll be getting an alert for more testing,” she warned.  “Be careful, they always know when a Shifter is born…I don’t have to spell out who _they_  are, do I?”

 

“I. AM. NOT. A. SHIFTER,” Jinyoung punctuated each word with a tug on his arm, trying to extricate himself from the girl, the color draining from his face when she mentioned the more frequent donations.

 

"Just...be careful," Alina warned again, her hand dropping. "Shifters aren't myths."

 

Jinyoung shook his head, unwilling and unable to believe what the technician was saying. There had to be a mistake. He pulled on his threadbare coat and pushed past several other donors to get outside. He would just go back like he was supposed to in 12 weeks. His phone would remind him. This was just a terrible joke someone was making. They could all have a good laugh about it in 3 months when he returned…

 

Alina closed her door and let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding. She cleaned her station with a mechanical precision, but her last appointment weighed heavily on her mind, when she should have been thinking about her next donor.

 

There was no rest for the technicians, no matter what got hurled at them. If she was lucky, her next appointment would be simple, sedate, a way to forget that Shifters still existed in the world.

 

“Number 76?” she called out, plastering her sunny smile back on her face. “Donor room five, please.”

 

_This just has to be a joke_ ,  Jinyoung reasoned with himself again and again as he hurried home, pulling his coat more tightly around his slim frame, protecting it against a wind that now seemed a lot colder than before his appointment at the Donor Center.

 

He stumbled as he climbed the stairs to his small apartment, elevator broken once again. He would just brew some tea and it would make him feel a lot better. He was like his father in that way….

 

Any thoughts of relaxation and recovery shattered when the young man reached his door. Secured to the front was an envelope. This wasn’t recycled, greyed-out paper….no, this was pristine vellum, something no human he knew could afford….

  


_Congratulations, Shifter_.  The letter began, the handwriting in a beautiful script, one that hadn’t been taught in local schools for several decades.

 

_We of the High Vampire Council would like to extend a high honor towards you. It has been several years since a Shifter has last emerged, and we find their blood to be a rare, delicious treat – not something to be wasted on frivolous matters. Should you accept our generous offer, you will no longer be required to report to the donation centers. Rather, you would be in service to a hand-selected member of the Echelon and will only be required to donate when he or she desires your services. These services range beyond mere imbibing._

 

Jinyoung’s hands shook as he read the letter. This wasn’t possible. He was just another human, used by the vampire higher class for sustenance like everyone one else. He’d gone as he was supposed to every 12 weeks since he had turned 16, even the week after his father died. He had done everything _right_...why couldn’t they just leave him alone?

 

What did _services range beyond mere imbibing_  even mean?

 

_May we reiterate what a valuable offer this is, Shifter? Your patron will not interfere in your daily life; you may go about as you please – but with protections and benefits for companionship. We request a timely reply – please send your reply with one of our messengers._

 

_Regards,_

_The High Council_

 

A list of scrawled signatures and positions followed, the handwriting too blurred to read.

 

Jinyoung gripped the letter so hard that the pristine paper began to crumple as he unlocked his door and entered the rundown but clean apartment. He wanted to sent a reply that told the bloodsuckers to do things impossible with their own anatomy (or could vampires fuck themselves? He didn’t want to find out) but he knew that would only cause more problems. The easiest thing to do would be to find some way to escape. He could probably make it out to what was left of the countryside….or, even more dangerous, try to disappear in the Black Market. The young man grabbed a backpack that had seen better days and began to fill it with necessities for both the outdoors and the streets. Those were probably the only two choices he had but he needed to make a decision now. If they knew where he lived then he didn’t have much time….

 

It was shortly after Jinyoung made his decision that there was a sharp rapping on the door – and when that didn’t elicit an answer, the raps turned into pounds.

 

“Hey, Park Jinyoung!” The voice was male, but sounded less threatening and more irritated. “Open up. They need an answer.”

 

_Fuck…why did he have to live on the 6th floor?_  

 

Jinyoung called out from inside the apartment. “Tell them I need to think about it.”

  


“Yeah, I wish they’d take that as an answer. No, instead I need to just hang out here, making sure all your neighbors know that you need to tell them something now, because I don’t feel like getting bitten tonight.” He leaned against the doorframe, his annoyance almost palpable through the thin wood. “Mark Soup doesn’t sound tasty when you’re on the menu.”

 

Jinyoung stomped to the doorway and opened it. The boy there was handsome and very much human but he was also a messenger for the bloodsuckers. “And I think Jinyoung jjigae sounds even worse. Can’t they just leave me alone? It’s all a mistake anyways….” His eyes glanced past the messenger. Maybe he could get past him - the guy didn’t look very strong.

 

"Look, I don't know the details." Mark shrugged under his well-worn jacket. "Jinyoung jjigae sounds absolutely disgusting, but if you don't take their dinner invitations, well you know that means plenty of prison time. If it's a mistake, they'll figure it out, right?"

 

“You could just let me go, tell them you couldn’t find me…”

 

"I wish. Mark Soup, dude."

 

Jinyoung was about to say to hell with it and push past the other guy when a voice that was clearly NOT human rang up from the stairwell. “Oh, Markie-poo…..is he coming?”

 

He looked at Mark questioningly, mouthing “Markie-poo” to the other man,  but before he could ask who that was he soon found out for himself.

 

The vampire wasn’t particularly tall but he was well built, his skin not quite as pale as the vampires he had seen on TV or during brief supervisory visits to the library but he was definitely a vampire. There was a stillness about him, likely from his lack of need to breathe and the absence of a pulse.

 

“There you are!” he called out cheerfully, then turned his gaze to Jinyoung. “So this is the new Shifter...he’s pretty. I bet I know who is going to request him.” He looked down at the bag in Jinyoung’s hand and his eyes narrowed. “Not planning to go anywhere, are you, gorgeous?”

 

Mark groaned. “I can’t believe – you seriously followed me here?” The young man rolled his eyes and not-so-subtly stepped on the vampire’s foot. “Sorry about this. This is Jackson – at least, that’s the name he’s finally picked for _this_  century – and he’s been my patron for the last fifty years. As you can see, they don’t trust anyone, not even Shifters.”

 

He looked up at the vampire, a sour look on his face. “…And you better not mean who you think I mean. He’ll get eaten alive.”

 

“Ow,” Jackson grinned and it was obvious to Jinyoung that the vampire wasn’t hurt at all. His head whipped back as he processed Mark’s words. “Fifty years?? That means….” Jinyoung’s voice trailed off, just as Jackson’s arm draped easily around Mark’s slim waist.

 

“Pretty _and_  smart too. He’s a keeper. Yes, cutie, Markie-poo is my honey-boo,” Jackson sing-songed, knowing it annoyed his human. “He’s your kind as well - except I don’t think you are a were...would have to taste you to figure it out.”

 

He turned to Mark. “Well, _he_  hasn’t had anyone in decades. No Shifter, no chosen human. And Jinyoungie here is totally his type.”

 

“That means I was one of the last Shifters to present, until you showed up.” Mark’s glare seemed stormy enough to frighten any human, which of course didn’t affect his patron at all. “Vampire saliva has properties that essentially give humans a kind of eternal youth and greatly extends our lifespan as long as we keep getting bitten—and I am NOT your honey-boo.” Despite his words, he didn’t try to push Jackson away or move his arm from around his waist.

 

“There aren’t a lot of Shifters anymore – a lot of them end up taking the bite – but we’re still hanging around.”

 

“But that’s just it…..I’m not a Shifter,” Jinyoung said with a shake of his head. “I’m just another human. I’ve been donating for the past 3 years and nothing has happened.”

 

“Ah, the beauty of Shifter puberty,” Jackson said with a chuckle. “It’s a bit delayed compared to humans. The changes don’t show up in the blood until you hit around 19 or 20 - and from your expression I’m thinking you are right in that age range. You said you have been donating for 3 years….so Happy 20th Birthday!” The vampire lowered his voice in imitation. “Yer a Shifter, Harry…”

 

Mark groaned. “Knock it off with the Harry Potter nostalgia bullshit, Jackson. Jinyoung is freaking out here…”

 

Jackson straightened, looking slightly apologetic. “Yeah, yeah….sorry, Jinyoungie..but you should be happy! You’ll get out of this shithole and find a patron and life will be a lot better for you. Promise.” He tilted his head to the side, studying the new Shifter. “You really don’t have a choice, you know. Shifters have tried to escape. Hasn’t happened in the past 200 years…”

 

Jinyoung sighed in resignation. “I really don’t have a choice….” he echoed. “I still think this is all a big joke. You guys are going to find out you are wrong and then you’ll just leave me alone..”

 

“Look, Jinyoung, I wanted to be nice – hell, I’m still being nice.” Mark sighed heavily, remembering having the same panic half a century before. “Even without the testing, they can smell Shifter blood. Jackson’s not just giving you the sales pitch for fun, he can smell the difference. To me it’s all the same, but he’ll  talk to you for hours about just what kind of blood he likes the best.”

 

He took the liberty to wander around his tiny apartment, examining the few knickknacks and photographs that he had on display. “The living situation isn’t so bad. They’ve all got mansions, plus you get to have your own rooms, not that Jackson lets me enjoy mine very often. But they have their stuffy vampire society duties, so we get plenty of free time to do our own things.”

 

“Everybody knows I like werewolf blood the best,” Jackson piped up, leering at Mark cheerfully.

 

“But you are doing more than just giving blood aren’t you?” Jinyoung asked, feeling his cheeks grow warm at the way the vampire looked at the Shifter - and he realized he wasn’t denying that Mark was just who and what he said he was. “The letter said ‘services range beyond mere imbibing.’ That means they want more from me than just my blood.”

  


“That doesn’t mean that you get it every ten minutes!” Mark scolded, then rubbed his neck. “You’ve gotta give me a little bit of break time.”

 

He sat down on Jinyoung’s peeling sofa with a loud thud and had the grace to look embarrassed. “Yeah…little-known fact that vampires are sex fiends, especially since they think that blood tastes better while the source is having an orgasm. The guy who Jackson thinks is gonna want you isn’t generally present at vampire orgies, according to him.”

 

“I suppose that is a good thing then…” Jinyoung said faintly, sitting down beside Mark.

 

“Well, yes and no,” Jackson replied. “Yes, because the orgies can get a bit wild, especially if you aren’t used to them….but that means he is going to want you all to himself and he’s a lot older than I am which means he has a LOT of stamina and drive, if you know what I mean. You are probably going to be in bed for weeks.”

 

"If that's what he wants," Mark reminded. "Hell, is he even into humans?"

 

“He’s been with a few in the past century,” the vampire murmured. “But he really had a thing for Fae..” He studied Jinyoung curiously, then nodded. “Yeah, he’s gonna like you.”

 

Mark thunked his head on the back of the sofa. "Fuck, you're smelling Fae blood? You're definitely a Shifter, Jinyoung. No two ways about it."

 

Jackson shrugged. “What can I say? My nose knows...Weres smell spicy and Fae smell sweet. Jinyoungie here smells like citrus and honey. It’s nice.”

 

The vampire stood, reaching out for both Mark and Jinyoung. “Now, this has been fun and everything but it’s time to go. ALL of us…” There was something firm and unyielding in Jackson’s voice this time. No was not an option.

 

"The High Council still has to approve where he goes," Mark reminded his patron. "Where's he going to stay until then, with us?"

 

“He can,” Jackson replied. “There are plenty of free bedrooms. Of course, if you don’t like that, Markie-poo, I could always ask _him_  to take Jinyoungie…” there was an unspoken challenge in the vampire’s words. He gave Mark plenty of leeway but sometimes he needed to be reminded of their positions.

 

Mark held his hands up. "I am _perfectly_  fine with Jinyoung staying with us. I can start teaching him all of the things that we don't tell vampires about."

 

Jackson clapped his hands, smiling once more. “Good! Then it’s settled. Let’s get going, Jinyoungie. I promise you’ll enjoy it…”

 

Jinyoung looked at Mark helplessly, as if begging the other to help him get out of this, even as the vampire pulled him to his feet.

 

"Sorry, Jinyoung," Mark apologized while he followed Jackson out. "They pretend to let you have a choice in the matter, but it's really not a choice at all."

 

Jinyoung’s shoulder sagged in resignation. He looked around his small apartment, looking for a few particular things to take with him, first of which was a small grainy picture of his mother and father. His mother had died not long after he was born but his father passed only a few years ago and the memories were still fresh. Only a few mementos and a change of clothing joined the picture in the bottom of the bag. He looked around the room one more time as if committing what he saw to memory. He didn’t know when - or if - he would be back.

 

"Don't worry about your things," Mark murmured in his ear. "They'll be delivered to your new quarters - well not your furniture, but your personal items."

 

Jinyoung shrugged. “I don’t really have much and I doubt anyone is going to care. I’m just dinner to them.”

 

"Most of them are pretty okay, the Council is full of stuffy old bastards, but they already have everything they want." Mark held open the door, giving Jinyoung a pointed look. "The one that Jackson's thinking might be interested is pretty quiet."

 

“They are all the same,” Jinyoung replied as he left his apartment without looking back. “They take and they give nothing in return. Now they are just going to take more.”

 

"And the good news is you can still say that as much as you want, around Jackson, at least. It's a trade-off." Mark smirked and closed the door. "Got him, you don't have to keep following me."

 

“But I like following you,” Jackson said with a grin. “Gives me a good view,” he added, wiggling his eyebrows. That almost made Jinyoung smile - Jackson didn’t seem like most of the vampires had seen. “I’ll see you back at home.” And with that the vampire was gone.

 

“Is he always like that?” Jinyoung asked, curious in spite of himself.

 

Mark groaned. "At first I thought he was trying to be hospitable, you know - make me feel at home, I'm his first Shifter so he thought that if I was happy, I'd be more inclined to hang around. Turns out he's always like this, but don't let it fool you. He's more powerful than you'd think."

 

“He seems powerful,” Jinyoung murmured, surprising himself. He didn’t even realize he had been thinking it. “And you are really a werewolf? I thought they were just stories….”

 

"We exist," Mark confirmed. "...But we keep it very quiet." Unlike the tales of werewolves that scared children into not going outside alone at night, Mark easily blended in with anyone else on the street as he led the way towards the vampire area of the city. "A few elves, too. Fae are extremely rare...I only know of one or two full Fae, and this city is huge."

 

“Jackson seems to think I am one of those Fae,” Jinyoung said with a shake of his head. “Still doesn’t seem real.”

 

"Shit's never seemed real to me, but here we are, a couple of Shifters destined to feed vampires. If you're lucky, yours won't be too handsy. They do have regular orgies, like I said - but those are vampires only."

 

“Do they ever _just_  take blood?” Jinyoung asked quietly as he got into Mark’s hover. He had a feeling Mark could probably see right through him but he couldn’t say it out loud.

  


Mark waited until he had gotten into his hover - one of the deluxe models, a thoughtful present from Jackson. "Yeah, depends on the vampire, though. We only feed our patrons...at least that's how it's supposed to be. Jackson's really protective of me, and I'm sure he'll look out for you, too."

 

Jinyoung sighed in relief. Maybe he would get a vampire who just wanted his blood and nothing else.”How often does he feed from you?”

 

"Jackson's an ass, so he likes to feed from me whenever he can," Mark griped while he drove through the streets, crowded with humans heading home after a long day. "Pretty small amounts, he likes to save his big feedings for sex. It doesn't hurt, if you're curious."

 

“So I might just only have small feedings but more frequently,” Jinyoung murmured to himself. If he got a vampire who just wanted him for the supposedly intriguing blood he now carried then he wouldn’t have to worry about the _other_  part.

 

"Maybe, but they do like a lot of sex." The more Mark drove on, the more the traffic thinned until they were on the empty, winding road that led to the mansions. "Jackson told me that the plumbing works for the most part - no one's getting pregnant - but it's the only time they really get to feel warmth."

 

“So we end up being dinner and a heater for them...”

 

"And in return, no more donation center, plenty of luxury - and protection."

 

“And I have no choice in the matter?” Jinyoung asked bitterly. “Just someone to suck and fuck.”

 

"Since when have we had any choices?" Mark asked. "School. Donation Center. Fines and prison if we don't go, plus they take more from you there."

 

“I haven’t had to be someone’s whore, Mark,” Jinyoung said bluntly, turning away from the other man.

 

Mark stiffened. "...So you think I'm Jackson's whore?"

 

“Did you _want_  to have sex with him when you first were brought to him? Did you do it of your own free will?” Jinyoung asked bleakly. “Right now you are telling me that I have no choice but to let some stranger do whatever he wants to me with no consequences. What you choose  to do with Jackson is your business and he seems nice enough for a vampire - but I am not you and I don’t want this.”

 

Mark drove the rest of the way in stony silence, letting Jinyoung know he was clearly irritated. Jackson's mansion loomed ahead, not the largest one in the area but clearly of impressive size (if not the most meticulously cared-for lawn and garden.) "This is it."

 

Jinyoung looked at the place in amazement, letting the mask he had carefully constructed drop for a moment before he fought to put it back in place.

 

_J_ _ust a pretty gilded cage,_  he thought spitefully to himself.

 

Mark landed his hover and got out, stopping to frown at some of the weeds overgrowing the garden along the way. "I told him to take care of that..." he muttered to himself. They were such a stark contrast to the stately mansion, where Jackson had insisted on lighter colors and more modern surroundings after seeing them at friends' homes. The forboding mansions were more of the High Council domain.

 

Jinyoung got out of the hover and looked around, hands stuffed in his pockets. “I don’t suppose I can get some water... I’m already down a pint and if I’m supposed to feed someone tonight I should probably tank up.”

 

"You aren't feeding anyone tonight, as you haven't been assigned a patron." Mark's answer was curt while he pushed open the front door. "Hey Jackson, brought him back."

 

“Thank goodness for small favors,” Jinyoung muttered just as Jackson appeared. “Welcome!...” his smile faded at the expression seen on both Shifter faces. “Okay, so who pissed off whom or was it mutual pissing off?”

 

"Kitchen's through those double doors, you can get water there," Mark directed. "If a whore's water is good enough for you."

 

“Oh shit,” Jackson muttered, shaking his head as Jinyoung walked past Mark to enter the kitchen. “You fucked up, baby Shifter…”

 

He approached Mark, wrapping arms around the slim man’s waist. “You know that he’s just a scared virgin, right? I doubt he meant what he said.”

 

"He knew exactly what he said," Mark griped even as he leaned into Jackson's embrace.  "And you know just how much I hate how Shifters are treated by humans. It's not like any of us have a choice as to who we are."

 

“And neither does Jinyoung. He’s just had his world turned upside down. Remember how you felt when you got your letter - and you actually knew you were a werewolf.” Jackson sighed, nuzzling at Mark’s neck. “I’m not asking you to forget what he said - it was a stupid move on his part since we are trying to ease him into this. I can just smell the fear on him. He’s just a kid really.”

 

Mark closed his eyes and rested his head on Jackson's shoulder, exposing his neck naturally. "You've never made me do anything that I haven't wanted to do, though - and that's what hurt more, I guess. You've always just waited until I was ready."

 

Jackson brushed his lips against the pulsepoint of his donor’s - and lover’s - neck, feeling the rush of blood just beneath the surface. “I know….but I also know that some of my kind are true assholes and might not give Jinyoung that luxury. I’m hoping _he_  is different, for Jinyoung’s sake.”

 

Even just the lightest touch of Jackson's lips sent a pleasant rush through Mark's body, one that caused him to drape his arm protectively around the vampire's strong shoulders. "We're talking about the same person, right? Not...ugh, Council Asshole."

 

“He is really not that bad - just old,” Jackson amended.

 

"You tell me that about everyone...well, except for _him_."

 

“That’s because they are all a lot older than I am. The Council is ancient - each member is at least 500. _He_  is the youngest of them though, and some say the most powerful. He has first claim on Jinyoungie if he wants him.”

 

"...So how'd you get me?"

 

Jackson paused. “Promise you won’t be mad?”

 

Mark smiled into Jackson's neck. "I'm always mad at you - but no, I won't be mad. I have a feeling that more vampires crave fae than were."

 

“Well, they do but that’s not the reason….I won you in a card game.”

 

Mark stiffened. "....Against?"

 

“...The President of the Council..”

 

Mark's head lifted from Jackson's shoulder, his dark eyes nearly boring holes into the vampire's face. "And what the hell were you doing playing cards with the Council? She could've killed you!"

 

Jackson shrugged. “It was a risk I was willing to take,” he said simply, meeting Mark’s eyes. “I don’t regret it.”

 

"...Well, I'm happy you've got a taste for were blood." Mark looked away, awkward - feelings weren't exactly things that weres discussed.

 

“Me too,” Jackson said with a smile. “I like my blood with a little spiciness..I’ll let Jaebum deal with that sweet little Fae.”

 

"If he gets him," Mark reminded, his features softening. "...I'm really glad you understand me."

 

"I know Jaebum - if he decides he wants Jinyoung, he'll get him."

 

"...I'll go find out if he got lost," Mark offered. "That's enough feelings for right now."

 

“Damned feelings,” Jackson agreed but there is a gentleness in his smile and in his words directed at the were before him. “So scoot. Tuck the new Shifter in and accept his apology.”

 

"I expect you to clean up those weeds in the front garden for this," Mark griped as he went through the doors that Jinyoung had entered. "You promised you'd do that last week, damned vampires and their sense of time..."

 

“Yes, dear,” Jackson singsonged, smile morphing into a teasing grin. “I’ll get to it….sometime next week.”

 

Jinyoung had found his way to the kitchen and sipped at a glass of water with trembling hands. Had it only been a few hours since he was in line at the Donation Center? It seemed like forever..

 

_Maybe this is all just a dream and I’ll wake up in my apartment, a pint short but still human._

 

"Careful with that glass. My dirty little hands have been all over it, who knows what diseases you'll catch." Mark leaned against the doorframe of the expansive kitchen and stared out into the night. "Jackson hasn't done a damn thing that I haven't wanted."

 

Jinyoung looked up, his shoulders sagging when he realized that this was no dream. “I know….I’m sorry I said what I did. I had no right to judge. I’m just really scared about all this. I never wanted this, never wanted to be singled out,” he admitted.

 

Mark stayed silent for a while, the were not just processing but _finding_  what he was supposed to say. Jackson had been right, Jinyoung wasn't quite the snobbish human that he had originally believed. "...I was scared, when it first happened - and I already knew I was were."

 

“Shifters are...or I guess _were_  just fairy tales. Nobody I grew up with personally knew a Shifter and I don’t feel any different than I felt this morning when I got up. Maybe they made a mistake.”

 

"They don't make mistakes - but for a long time, I figured I was the last one. A Shifter doesn't just mean supernatural blood, otherwise there'd be several more people assigned to patrons. I haven't quite figured out yet what makes our blood particularly special - or why it just rapidly changes. Jackson likes to say it's Shifter puberty."

“That’s why the girl at the Center acted so strange when she tested my blood,” Jinyoung murmured. “I mean, it was as if she hadn’t seen anything like this before…” He shook his head. “I’ve already been through puberty once and it sucked the first time…”

 

"The good news is that you're done with Shifter puberty, too - the physical part, at least. It's pretty hard to wrap your head around the whole thing." Mark got himself a glass of water and joined Jinyoung at the table, far from his former post at the door. "I was really pissed off at Jackson when it turned out he was my patron."

 

“Why?” Jinyoung asked. “Jackson doesn’t seem….bad, for a vampire.”

 

"He's annoying," Mark grumped, but there was no venom in his words. "Just started immediately with all of the 'Markie-poo' crap and all of the other pet names, thought I deserved better. But...then I learned more about the Council and figured out that I escaped a bullet."

 

“A bullet that is now meant for me, I guess,” the younger man said bitterly. “I’m the lucky one, huh? What can you tell me about this Council?”

 

"If Jackson's right and you end up with the one he's thinking of, then you should be okay - all I really know about him is that he's quiet and keeps to himself." Mark's face darkened, thinking of the Council. "There are ten of them, the oldest vampires in the city. Pretty full of themselves, and _very_  assholish when they think someone's taken what's rightfully theirs. They don't really mingle with vampires as young as Jackson so much, but the youngest guy on the Council...well, they tell everyone to steer clear for a reason."

 

“That really doesn’t make me feel any better, Mark…” Jinyoung said with a sigh. “I guess what happens happens.” He found himself stifling a yawn. “Not sure why I’m so damned tired…”

  


"Yeah, well....you're Fae, so I figured you might want to be prepared." The were stood up and cleared away the glasses. "I'll show you to one of the guest rooms.":

 

“I don’t even know what being Fae means, other than my blood is supposedly extra tasty to the bloodsuckers now,” Jinyoung murmured as he followed the other to a well-appointed bedroom that was bigger than his entire apartment. “Are you sure you guys can’t just conveniently forget about me and let me hide our here?”

  


"I wish..trust me, would if we could. I wouldn't mind having someone else around to stop Jackson from fretting." Mark frowned and picked up a particularly large stuffed bear from the bed to set on the ground. "...I told him to stop buying those for me, guess he's just decided to decorate the other rooms."

 

Jinyoung couldn’t help but smile. “It’s cute.” His smile faded. “I guess I’m just going to have to accept what happens tomorrow. Thanks for making this….not quite so bad, Mark.”

 

"I'm always here...you know, in case you need something. Anyway, you'll just continue your schedule as normal while the decision's being made, like work and everything. I'll drop you off," Mark added, heading off the question. "And if you need anything tonight, we're down the hall."

 

The newly discovered Shifter nodded. He knew he wouldn’t sleep well tonight but it couldn’t be helped.

 

And to think just that morning he had been wanting something different than the monotony of going to the Center every 12 weeks.

 

_Be careful what you wish for…_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jinyoung meets his match.

“So they’ve got three places they like to bite,” Mark instructed on the way home from work one evening. The Council took its time making decisions, and where to place a new Shifter was one that wasn’t taken lightly. “Either way, it honestly doesn’t hurt, plus vampire saliva means that wounds heal pretty quickly. With me so far?”

 

Jinyoung nodded, jotting down notes on his tablet. Fortunately work had continued as something constant in his life, the library as cold and drafty as usual, the ancient bound scripts and texts vying with floppy disks and MP3 and MP4 files for his attention (truth be told he liked opening an actual book more than staring into a screen). “Three places, no pain, healing spit, got it.”

 

"Wrist, neck, and inner thigh, in order of how intimate each bite is considered - damn, you make this whole thing sound really clinical. Anyway, I just want to prepare you. Jackson decided to visit me at work and tell me that he thinks they're close to a decision. Well, if you ask him, he'll say he was just in the neighborhood."

 

Jinyoung shrugged. “Well, it’s nothing going to be anything more than clinical for me, Mark. It’s just another job after all. Just a more direct version of going to the Center, I suppose. So it’s going to be a wrist bite…” he hummed softly to himself. His voice was a pleasant warm burr - not that he noticed it, of course.

 

"Speaking of...no guarantee that they'll let you keep your job," Mark warned. "Jackson wants me to quit, says it isn't safe. I work on a nature preserve and quite literally turn into a giant wolf..." he sighed. "...You never know. You might enjoy it."

 

“So I’ll just end up sitting around waiting for some vampire to decided he or she needs a snack? Lovely,” Jinyoung said blandly. “I doubt I’m going to enjoy it. I’ve never liked donating blood at the Centers. I’m sure I’d hate a bloodsucker taking it from me directly.”

 

"I thought the same thing," Mark admitted. "It's--well, you'll probably find out." The hover slowed to a stop as it reached Jackson's home, and Mark's face immediately turned into a scowl. "Those damn weeds!"

 

Jinyoung bit back a chuckle as he put his tablet away and got out of the hover - only to find a solemn faced Jackson meeting them at the doorway. “It’s time.”

 

The color drained out of Mark's face, and the young man forgot about the weeds for the time being. "...Who?"

 

“The Ice Prince,” Jackson replied. 

 

Jinyoung looked from vampire to Shifter and back again, confused. What did that mean?

 

"But you...Jackson, wasn't that who you thought would be good for him?" Mark's brow furrowed.

 

“He’s better than the others,” Jackson murmured.

 

"...It's Im Jaebum," Mark finally explained. "He's...very quiet. I don't really know that much about him."

 

“Quiet isn’t necessarily a bad thing,” Jinyoung reasoned, trying to find a positive to this revelation.

 

“He wants you presented to him tonight,” Jackson interrupted Jinyoung’s thoughts. “I would advise you go take a shower and get changed. No perfumes or cologne. Plain white shirt, black pants. No jewelry. Just you, Jinyoung. He wants just you.”

 

"That's normal," Mark tried to reason. "I mean, you wanted me plain and simple, right?" He opened the door to the house, still working to make it seem less unusual. "We'll make sure everything gets to you."

 

“I’ve already had most of your things moved, Jinyoung,” the vampire said quietly, then added. “You will always have a place here though - weeds and all.”

 

Mark nodded emphatically. "Jackson's his only friend, really - I know Jaebum will be fine with you visiting."

 

“Okay….okay,” Jinyoung repeated, as if convincing himself. “Let’s get this over with. Isn’t as if I have a choice.” And with that the human turned and went to his room, returning only when he was showered and shaved, dressed exactly as he was told. His hair was still damp and curling at his neck, dark hair a stark contrast to his smooth, pale skin that had a tint of healthy warmth to it.

 

"Want us to go in with you?" Mark asked. He pulled at his muddy t-shirt, full of concern. "...But you look like you're ready to present. Looks good."

 

Jinyoung shook his head. “No, I have to do this alone. Neither of you is going to be there when he bites my wrist for the first time. I have to prove that I can do this.”

 

_Wrist for now, maybe,_  Jackson thought to himself. _But not likely for long, little Shifter._

 

Mark gave quiet directions to Jaebum's estate, from what he could recall. "It's a nice place, looks somewhat like this one from the outside. I've never been in - and I've never seen him interact with any human or Shifter. But you can always come back here, all right?"

 

Jinyoung nodded. “I’ll be okay, really. It isn’t like he’s going to drain me at our first meeting,” he tried to joke through the lump in his throat. “Just gonna be ‘hi, I’m Jaebum and you are my snack. Then bitey time and then I go to my room.  Rinse and repeat for the next millenium. No big deal.”

 

"Well, for your sake..." Mark looked up at Jackson, hesitant. "....Anything he needs to know?"

 

Jackson shrugged. “Jaebum is a good guy but he may come off as cold first, hence the whole ‘Ice Prince’ title. But he isn’t cruel. Just give him a chance, okay? Just tell me if he is being dickish.”

 

"Tell me, too," Mark insisted. "Promise, we'll help as much as we can."

 

Jinyoung offered both a surprisingly sweet smile, perhaps an echo if the mythical creature whose blood he now supposedly shared. “Thanks.” He impulsively hugged Mark and took the vampire’s offered hand, accepting the squeeze of reassurance before he turned into the hover that had arrived for him, cold and impersonal. 

 

“I don’t like this,” Mark whispered once Jinyoung was out of earshot. “I don’t like this one at all.”

 

The trip was blessedly brief, the austere mansion soon coming into view. Leaving the hover the Shifter took a deep breath and stepped up to the mansion door, raising his hand to knock.

 

There were few lights on in Jaebum’s manor, far fewer than the ones that Jackson had insisted on (for Mark’s health, he said, he just wore plenty of long sleeves when he was about). Jinyoung’s knock seemed to echo throughout the dim home, and silence reigned for several minutes before the door creaked open, the figure who held it open barely visible through the shadows.

 

“The Shifter.” The voice seemed to have icicles falling off of it.

 

Jinyoung peered into the darkness, the voice sending a shiver of worry down his spine. “Yeah, they tell me that I am. I prefer to be called Jinyoung. I was told to come here and I have. You’re welcome,” he added with false bravado.

 

“I could devour you for less impudence than that,” the voice snapped. “Consider _that_  your first and only warning.”

 

A lamp suddenly turned on near the front door, giving Jinyoung a view of Jaebum’s eclectic tastes – the lamp seemed to be a myriad of glass balls, precariously stacked on top of each other, but all glowed brightly. It was easier to see the vampire now – tall, willowy, and classically pale; his unsmiling face was reminiscent more of Dracula than the ever-optimistic Jackson. “Enter.”

 

Jinyoung stepped inside, rolling his eyes. “You can knock off the Nosferatu act. I’ve read all the books. Vampires don’t like human flesh - just blood. You aren’t going to want to drain me right away either. If what they say is true and I’m this Shifter you all expect me to be then you’ll want the supply of my blood to last for a while.”

  
  


"I have my own supply of blood, fresh from the Center - a vampire's bite is a privilege, not something merely to be trifled with." He slowly circled the Shifter, critically surveying each standard that he had set. "You present to my specifications. I'm quite surprised."

 

“So sorry I don’t feel honored to be bitten by you,” Jinyoung replied, sarcasm thick in his voice. The vampire’s second sentence made him curious in spite of himself however. “Specifications? What more could you have wanted than ‘breathing and is a new Shifter’?”

 

"The ability to follow instructions, for one - I also like the ability to not ask questions." Jaebum quickly started to walk down the hallway, turning on a few lights as he went. "Jinyoung the Shifter," he mused. "Fae blood from your father, exact breed still unknown." Cobwebs and dust became more visible as he led the way towards a large kitchen, surprisingly modern compared to his foyer. "You must eat."

 

“Sorry, I do research - asking questions is part of my job,” Jinyoung said unapologetically, frowning as he heard the comment about his father. He knew that was likely where this Shifter blood had come from but it was still unsettling to him. “Yes, eating is something humans do prefer to do in order to stay alive. Novel idea, I know.”

 

"Then you shall find the kitchen adequately stocked. Vampires do have a taste for human food, you know - not that any research will tell you that. Humans still believe we'll run away from garlic." Jaebum sniffed. "Should there be something you require, place it on the list on the refrigerator and a messenger will take care of it."

 

“I don’t need anything fancy. I grew up with very little and I made do. I’ll just post my regular list. It isn’t much.” If this guy was going to be impersonal then he could be too.

 

"Then you should have your dinner." Jaebum's voice hinted that this wasn't a request.

 

“First I’m told I have to leave my apartment, then I get the supposed honor of being some bloodsucker’s chew toy. I can’t even choose my own clothing or what shampoo I use in my hair. So now I have to eat when I’m told to…” Jinyoung growled. “Is there _anything_  I get to do on my own terms, when I want to?”

 

"Why would I give you an honor such as a bite when you so clearly despise the idea of it? My supply - and a technician to draw your blood - will do for now. I do not care about your toiletries, only that you remain neatly groomed at all times. If nothing is to your liking, then you may put it on the list."

 

“That’s a relief then,” Jinyoung replied as he stepped past the taller vampire to look around the kitchen. “Next thing I know he’ll be telling me when and if I can jack off in the privacy of my own bedroom,” he muttered to himself.

 

"I couldn't care less about what you do to yourself when you're alone," Jaebum said dryly. "When you're finished, I will take you to your quarters."

 

Jinyoung’s ears grew red with embarrassment as he realized he was overheard. He moved silently around in the kitchen, the weight of the vampire’s eyes on him as he made a simple jjigae with what he found in the refrigerator.

 

Jaebum took a seat on one of his barstools and made no motion to hide how carefully he watched Jinyoung. The photographs that had been shown at the Council meetings were indeed accurate - Jinyoung was attractive, with artfully tousled hair and full lips that could have made him a celebrity, had he gone that route. His ease in the kitchen showed he was resourceful, independent, but pliant - it was becoming clear that the Council had lied about the pliant part.

 

Jinyoung couldn’t help but hum to himself as he cooked, his voice pleasant when he wasn’t being snarky and belligerent. He was just finishing the stew when he looked over his shoulder, not quite looking directly at the vampire. “I don’t suppose you would want some…” he chanced, expecting rejection.

 

"...The smell is quite tempting," Jaebum admitted. "I've found myself to be fond of gochujang."

 

“There is more than enough,” the Shifter murmured, filling two bowls and setting one in front of the vampire before sitting down at the table with his own bowl. “I might need to get some more items from the market to make more.”

 

"You do not need to worry yourself with matters as trifling as that. " Jaebum inhaled the spicy aroma before picking up his chopsticks. "Shifters with patrons are kept under close security, naturally."

 

“Like a prison, huh…” Jinyoung said blandly, his appetite waning even as he tried to eat. “Guess it isn’t that much different than being tied to going to the Center every 12 weeks…”

 

"You are to explore the grounds as you wish, and I will not require that you terminate your employment. I am gone for most of the day, and will not need your services at those times."

 

The thought that he could continue his job at the library brightened Jinyoung’s expression and he offered the vampire his first real smile. “Thank you,” he said sincerely. “So that means you’ll send the technician to my room in the evening to draw blood?”

 

Jaebum ate his first mouthful of the spicy jjigae, his expression still carefully neutral. "When the technician is available, yes."

 

“I understand it’s more often than the draws at the Center but less is taken,” Jinyoung continued, hunched over his own bowl but less accusatory. He rolled up his sleeve, displaying a smoothly muscled, unscarred forearm. “I’ve got a good vein here that they always draw from at the Center,” he added, tapping at the crook of his arm with two slim fingers.

 

"That is only for the privilege of the bite - the technician is more akin to your Center draws. I'm sure that they will be pleased..." Jaebum's chopsticks clattered from his hand as he stared seemingly underneath the Shifter's arm, the blood inside nearly singing to him.

 

“Ah, so I probably will still be on the 12 week schedule since you’ve said I won’t have that privilege,” Jinyoung murmured, rolling down his sleeve once more. He looked up as the chopsticks noisily landed on the floor. “You might need to eat human food more often,” he couldn’t help but tease as he got up to bring the vampire another pair of chopsticks. “Looks like you’re forgetting how to use utensils.”

 

“Six weeks for Shifters,” Jaebum automatically corrected, his gaze still intense on Jinyoung’s bared skin.

 

It was only when he rolled down his sleeve that he vaguely realized that the distant clatter he heard was his fault. Mentally, he cursed himself and concentrated to redirect his focus. This Shifter had made it clear he did not understand or want the privilege or power that the bite entailed. “As you have made it clear that you do not wish the bite, that will be our arrangement.”

 

“I have never been asked if I wanted to be bitten,” Jinyoung replied. “Everyone else has been making my decisions for me.” He finished his stew and took his bowl to the sink. “I guess this is the way we figure out if that whole ‘Shifters replace blood quicker’ rumor holds any truth. If I pass out from too much blood loss in six weeks then we’ll know if was a lie.”

 

"They do, that's been tested through centuries of trials," Jaebum reminded. "For centuries, Shifters were the only source of nutrients for us...we had no taste for human blood."

 

“And it seems like you’ve managed to hunt down Shifters to near extinction, if the rarity of them is any indication,” Jinyoung murmured, rolling up his sleeves to wash the dishes. “I don’t feel any different than I did before I had my blood drawn - I doubt it is that different than it was the trip before. They always liked the fact that I am an A positive. Kept telling me that it was an unusual blood type now.”

 

"Quite a few Shifters chose to join our ranks - again, the history that you don't learn in school." The vampire paused, thinking. "A positive is quite unusual...and we find it to be quite the delicacy. Perhaps I will enjoy imbibing a Shifter."

 

“And of course it is about what _you_  enjoy,” Jinyoung said quietly. “I’m sure the Center has some of my blood from the draw a few days ago so you don’t have to wait 6 weeks. A positive and new Shifter - kill two birds with one stone, I suppose.”

 

"That blood has already been used. I have heard from the Council that it was quite enjoyable."

 

Jinyoung could feel his face grow warm with embarrassment but he refused to look over at the vampire. “I’m sure,” he muttered, keeping his eyes on the dishwater and the task at hand.

 

"However, for that rare and extremely powerful gift to fall into the hands of someone such as yourself..."

 

Jinyoung sighed, his shoulders sagging just a fraction. “And here is where you say I am unworthy and worthless. I’ve already been told that my entire life so it’s nothing new.” He tried to keep any emotion out of his voice but he was just so _tired_  of being made to feel like he was nothing.

 

"Then I don't have to repeat that." The vampire was curt, and looked back towards the hallway. "I'll show you to your quarters."

 

Jinyoung dried off his own hands and followed Jaebum silently. Any faint hope that _this_  vampire would be different was completely dashed by the other’s words. Jackson had been wrong.

 

Despite Jaebum's words (or lack thereof, in most cases), he had done his best to provide quarters that were suitable for a Shifter. The rooms had been recently scrubbed, and Jinyoung's belongings had been carefully placed on a luxurious bed. "It's the room that gets the most light. I hope this is suitable," Jaebum tried to explain.

 

“It’s fine, thank you,” Jinyoung murmured, grateful for that small allowance. Looking at the meager items on the bed only served to remind the Shifter of how little he truly had. The bedroom was even bigger that the guest room at Jackson’s - and it made him feel even more alone. He stepped past the vampire and towards the bed. “I should put my things away.”

 

"You will find clothing in the closet - I had to guess at your size, as I did not have that information," Jaebum continued. "The bathroom is private, and your den is well-stocked with books from my personal library."

 

“I have a couple more changes of clothing here,” Jinyoung replied, gesturing towards the pile on the bed. “It should be enough. If you’ll just tell me where the laundry is I can clean things up and you won’t need to waste your time or money buying me anything. It’s okay.”

 

"Unwilling to accept generosity, either." A small frown crossed the vampire's face. "Laundry is performed by messengers. Just leave it in the basket."

 

“No, I just don’t want to be more of a burden than I already am.”

 

"Then learn to be grateful - and perhaps you shall receive the rarest gift."

 

Jinyoung sighed, shaking his head. “I thought my Shifter blood was this ‘rarest gift’ you speak of. Everyone seems to think so. I know I didn’t have much before - but at least it was mine. Now I don’t even own myself.”

 

"Shifter blood is the rarest gift that a non-vampire can receive. The bite is the rarest gift that a  vampire can give."Jaebum slowly stepped towards the door. "You may do as you please."

 

“So if I wanted to go home you would let me?” Jinyoung asked as the other paused at the door. “You would let me stay there and come and donate blood every six weeks? I mean, it would make sense since you don’t want to bite me.”

 

"I cannot let you go home, as a safety measure," Jaebum explained. "Vampires are quite attracted to Shifter blood - having you living alone would not end very well for you at all. By living in a vampire home, I can monitor your protection."

 

Jinyoung sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at his hands. “So this really _is_  just a gilded cage. I’m sorry that this songbird isn’t suitable, Jaebum-ssi,” he murmured, referring back to his thoughts when Mark had first driven him to Jackson’s mansion. This cage was even larger - and lonelier - than the other vampire’s.

 

"Call it what you like," Jaebum spoke quietly as he left the Shifter alone. "I have done my best not to clip your wings - and clearly, you have no words of thanks for it."

 

_No words of thanks…._  The words echoed in Jinyoung’s head, causing a turbulent storm of emotional response - anger, fear, despair. Was he supposed to thank this man - this vampire - for changing his world into something he himself no longer recognized? Was he supposed to be happy that they would take his blood twice as quickly now? Jaebum seemed insulted that Jinyoung hadn’t been complacent and groveling when he had first answered the door. Was that what was expected of Shifters?

 

He said the bite was the greatest gift a vampire could give - but was it something that everyone wanted to receive?

 

Jinyoung didn’t realize that he had cried himself to sleep until he had awakened, cheeks tear streaked and body completely drained emotionally.

 

He didn’t know what he was going to do.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Dinner" and discussion...

It was just a standing dinner invitation.

 

There was nothing implied – Mark and Jackson always cooked plenty and provided more colorful dinner entertainment that what could be found in Jaebum’s lonely, dusty (but slowly getting cleaner thanks to more frequent use) kitchen. They tried to continue to be a bright spot in a painful, near-silent existence.

 

“I know why he hasn’t been over recently,” Mark commented one evening while he tried to finish roasting what was supposed to be a beautiful chicken. “It’s the weeds.”

 

“The weeds give this place character,” came the vampire’s response as he wrapped his arms around Mark’s slender waist, resting his chin on the shorter man’s shoulder. “Smells good…” he murmured, nuzzling the were’s neck.

 

"Aren't you enough of a character?" Mark shot back, but leaned into the vampire's embrace. "I have a feeling that you aren't talking about the chicken..."

 

Jackson chuckled against Mark’s soft skin, tongue darting out to lick along the pulse point. “How did you guess?”

 

"I fed you before work," Mark teased, but even that didn't stop the pleasant shivers running over his skin - or his neck naturally stretching out for Jackson's welcome fangs. "And I'm making a nice dinner..."

 

“Maybe I’m hungry for something else, hmm?” Jackson purred, fangs lightly scraping teasingly over the were’s neck.

 

_They said I could come over for dinner anytime,_  Jinyoung thought to himself as he passed through the doors to Jackson’s mansion. It had been 3 months since he’d been “invited” to become Im Jaebum’s Chosen Shifter - and nothing had changed. The vampire was still cold and detached, his greetings clipped and condescending. A technician had come twice to Jinyoung’s rooms, most recently 2 days ago and had proven that yes, he could easily give blood every 6 weeks without becoming drained. 

 

At least not drained physically. Emotionally was an entirely different matter. Jinyoung was lonely and often sought out the company of the other Shifter. Usually he came over two or three times a week but usually he sent a message letting the others know. Tonight he forgot, lost in his research, and arrived straight from the library, a few books tucked under his arm.

 

“Hold on, one second…” Mark quickly turned the oven lower, not wanting to burn the meal that he had spent precious time preparing. 

“Jackson!” He swatted the vampire’s teasing fingers away until he was certain that his cooking was at a good pause point, then settled back into his arms and closed his eyes. “Now I can really enjoy this…”

 

He didn’t hear the soft creak of the door opening, or the footsteps headed down the entryway – not that Mark would care, not when Jackson’s fangs were so temptingly close to piercing his skin.

 

Jackson tilted his lover’s head to the side just enough make sure his target was unobstructed then sank his fangs into Mark’s neck, his not-so-soft cock pressing against the other’s backside.

 

Jinyoung froze as he entered the kitchen, eyes widening as he watched the vampire suck on his Shifter’s neck, one hand sliding up underneath Mark’s shirt.

 

“Jackson…” This time there was no annoyance in Mark’s voice, not when his name was distorted by a needy moan. He nearly melted into the vampire, his legs only keeping him supported enough to press back and grind against Jackson’s cock. 

 

While he had resisted it early on, Mark welcomed the rush, the pleasant haze that overtook when his lover bit him, the overwhelming urge to just let go and give his lover everything that he wanted. Now he would grind hard, insistently push Jackson’s hand further up his shirt, fall into the sensations that made him feel more complete.

 

Jinyoung could see the way the Jackson’s adam’s apple bobbed - it was obvious he was feeding from the Shifter - but what was also obvious was the Mark was _enjoying_  it. There was no evidence of pain on the were’s features and the way he was pressing back against Jackson…

 

Jinyoung swallowed, his throat dry and something churning in his lower abdomen - and it wasn’t disgust.

 

“So greedy,” the were whispered, eyes still closed while the sensations grew stronger. They came in waves that crested over each other, warming his skin and providing some comfort to Jackson.

 

He groaned in frustration when his heartbeat started to quicken, well attuned in knowing that Jackson had taken what he could from his lover. “Dammit….”

 

The vampire chuckled. “Now who is greedy, love?” he teased as he retracted his fangs and licked over the spot to effectively seal it and stop the flow of blood. He then whispered huskily in his lover’s ear, “ Come for me…”

 

Mark could barely unzip his pants fast enough - a feeding heightened his sensitivity enough that just a touch of Jackson's tongue could make him see stars (which of course Jackson used to his advantage). He hadn't gotten his hand entirely around his cock before he came, making a mess of his clothing and not caring as the were dissolved into a puddle of feral moans.

 

The were was so lost in his own moans that he didn’t hear the books that slipped from trembling hands to tumble to the floor but Jackson did. He looked up just in time to meet Jinyoung’s shocked eyes, his own still dilated with pleasure. He gave the younger Shifter a cheeky wink but didn’t let go of his lover and didn’t tell Mark they had company. 

 

A moment of acknowledgement passed between the two before Jinyoung bolted, shaken to the core by what he had seen. Bites were NOT supposed to be enjoyable, no matter what Mark had told him before…

 

“Was that…?” Mark’s post-orgasm fog slowly lifted, and his dark eyes focused on the books suddenly scattered on the floor, and the loud footsteps pounding away. “Hey wait, Jinyoung! Dammit, I didn’t know you were going to be here!”

 

Jackson held tightly to the other man. “Just let him go, love. He’s got some things to think about…”

 

"We're his only friends out here." Mark's groan this time was more frustrated than horny. "...And he's told me that Ice Prince just ignores him, and then he sees what bites really are..."

 

“...Then maybe he won’t be so adverse to being bitten,” Jackson replied. “Jaebum let slip that Jinyoungie said he didn’t want to be bitten the first day they met and Jaebum, being the idiot that he is, took personal offense to it. He would never force Jinyoung to be bitten but if our baby Shifter starts looking at biting in a different light…”

 

"Like Jaebum wouldn't treat it as something clinical?" Mark asked. "Fuck, I don't want Jinyoung to get hurt. He's a good kid."

 

“Yeah, he is….but good kids also have to grow up,” Jackson said pragmatically. “We’ll be there to catch him if something bad happens but I know Jaebum doesn’t want to hurt him. I’ll step in if I need to but I don’t think I will.”

 

"Want me to follow him?" Mark glanced at the door, his dinner forgotten. "He's never seen me as a wolf."

 

The vampire shook his head. “No, I don’t think you need to. Jinyoung needs to process what he just saw - that you loved taking the bite.” His lips curled into a smirk as he reached down to tap Mark’s inner thigh. “At least he didn’t see me bite you somewhere else.”

 

Mark's cheeks flushed red, and he turned to bury his face into the vampire's chest. "You're such an asshole, Jackson."

 

“Yup,” Jackson replied cheerfully, wrapping his arms around the smaller Shifter. “And you still love me.” He looked down at his lover with a gleam in his eye. “How about we continue this somewhere where I _can_  bite you there…what Jinyoungie doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

 

Mark first reached over to turn off the oven. "...Now dinner can wait." He flashed a knowing smirk to his lover, then grabbed his hand to drag him upstairs to continue exactly what they started.

  
  


Jinyoung curled up in the library of Jaebum’s mansion, large volume of history open in his lap. However, he kept reading and rereading the same page over again, unable to stop thinking about Mark and Jackson. The expression on Mark’s face - it was the farthest away from pain that he could get, pleasure in every line of his body and his moans….

 

God, that nearly undid Jinyoung where he stood. And the way Jackson had looked at him - he knew what Jinyoung was seeing and he didn’t mind him seeing it….

 

“Fuck…” the young Shifter cursed softly, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes. Mark had said something about the bite not hurting but he didn’t think the were meant it like that..

 

On clear nights, Jaebum had a ritual that he would perform, like clockwork. 

 

It involved taking his beloved antique telescope to the top floor of his library to marvel at the stars before going outside to take them all in. It was a ritual that calmed him, kept the stress away from his duties to the Council and his work within the vampire community. With his telescope he could breathe and relax enough to enter the trance state that his kind used to rest.

 

He had entered into his library, the tall, silent figure just centimeters away from his favorite tool when he heard the whispered curse and saw Jinyoung – while he knew little of human ailments, he could tell that something was not quite right.

 

“You’re ill,” he stated quietly. “I shall fetch a doctor.”

 

Jinyoung startled, the heavy tome falling off his lap onto the floor - it seemed that dropping books had become a habit. He looked up, meeting the eyes of the cold, quiet vampire. “No, no….I’m fine. Please, you don’t have to do that,” he said with an apologetic shake of his head. “I’m not sick...just confused about something I saw earlier tonight.”

 

"You are quite pale and it appears you have been sweating." Jaebum's tone sounded like something out of a dry medical book as he approached Jinyoung. "Those are classic signs of illness."

 

“You haven’t been around a lot of humans, have you?” Jinyoung said quietly. “They can also be signs of embarrassment….or other things. Besides, I’m always pale.” He paused. "But thank you for being concerned, Jaebum-ssi."

 

Jaebum picked up his well-cared for telescope case and stand. "Humans have a tendency to not want to be around vampires. We must educate ourselves through books."

 

“Well, that’s probably because you see us as sustenance and not as someone to want to talk to,” Jinyoung responded. “I mean, for what it’s worth you can ask me questions if you want. I’m not going anywhere.”

 

"You may do the same of me, should you shed that disgust." Jaebum glanced up the spiral staircase. "I'm going to the top floor, should you care to join. You haven't been up there."

 

“It might be good distraction,” the young Shifter murmured to himself as he rose and followed the vampire up the staircase. “And I’m not disgusted by you, you know. I’m disgusted by losing my freedom and having no choice in the matter.”

 

"It is for protection, as we explained to Mark fifty years ago." The stairs grew narrower near the top, but Jaebum's observation platform, with its view of the night sky and the city in the distance, was worth each step. "Shifter blood can drive vampires mad, and they will hunt a Shifter down and drain them completely."

 

Jinyoung would really rather not think about Mark at that moment…

 

“So instead I get to be kept for my blood and tapped every 6 weeks instead of 12. At least I can still work, I guess…” His voice tapered off as he looked out over the horizon, the stars much brighter out here than they were in the city. “It’s beautiful,” he murmured, awe in his voice as he let his gaze linger.

 

“You may come out here as much as you wish. The sunrises and sunsets are particularly pleasant.” Jaebum fell silent, setting up his telescope and stopping to orient himself in the sea of stars.

 

“I was strongly advised to force you to end your employment, as you do not have fangs and claws to protect you. I thought that advice was a loathsome idea.”

 

Jinyoung looked up and met the vampire’s eyes, perhaps for the first time since he’d met Jaebum. “Thank you,” he said sincerely. “I don’t know what I would have done if I had to stop my research. I know it isn’t much or very dignified to you but it’s the only thing I have left that is really mine.”

 

Jaebum carefully aligned his telescope and beckoned Jinyoung to take a look. "It appears you do have a small amount of gratitude. Now, come see Orion - it's far brighter here than in any of your books."

 

Jinyoung stepped forward after a moment’s hesitation, leaning forward to look into the telescope, closer than he had ever been to the vampire. A tiny voice inside him remarked that Jaebum smelled faintly of mint but he pushed the thought aside. “Ah, there it is…..it _is_  a lot brighter than in books or holovids.”

 

"I was turned quite young," Jaebum said quietly after the moment had passed. "Being able to look at the stars was my only real escape from this life - and now even good holovids on astronomy still can't compare to the sky itself."

 

“Didn’t you want to be turned?” Jinyoung asked curiously.

 

"I had prepared myself for the inevitable," he said simply. "I do prefer vampirism to an extent - however this was prior to the vampire rebellions, before we got too greedy."

 

“Well, you won so I guess you can be as greedy as you want to be. After all, ‘to the winner goes the spoils’,” Jinyoung quoted, then paused. “Wait….how old _are_  you, Jaebum-ssi?”

 

"Seven hundred and fifty, I believe - after a while, you'll find that you lose track - but I know it's been at least that long." Jaebum adjusted his telescope again, unaware that he was chatting so much with a Shifter - and about personal information, at that. "Shortly after I turned the vampire rebellions began, and that is how Jackson was turned."

 

Jinyoung looked up at the sky without the assistance of the telescope, his skin almost vampire-pale in the moonlight. “I can’t even imagine what it must be like to be that old, to have so much history and experience.”

 

"Perhaps it is something that you will experience," Jaebum mused. "The Shifter blood grants an extended lifespan."

 

Jinyoung laughed softly. “I doubt it will give me _that_  much of an extension. Maybe a hundred years or something like that.”

 

"There have been rumors...but most Shifters have accepted the gift and are among our ranks. We shall see what fate brings."

 

Jinyoung’s eyes left the stars to look back at the vampire in surprise. “Accepted the gift...you mean, they chose to become vampires?”

 

"They did," Jaebum confirmed. "Are they not teaching this in schools? Shifters grew close to  their patrons and wished to stay with them, but they were fearful of being executed by humans. I'm sure you're quite familiar with the human distaste for humans who work closely with vampires."

 

‘They are traitors,” Jinyoung replied. “That’s what we are taught - not officially, of course but it’s what I’ve always heard.” He took a few moments to consider what he had been told. “So the Shifters felt closer to the vampires and not to the humans they grew up with…..not even their families…”

 

"What can I say? Love is a strange force."

 

“I wouldn’t really know,” the young Shifter replied, looking back up at the sky. He thought about Mark and Jackson and what he had seen at Jackson’s mansion and it made him feel all the more lonely.

 

"It is why we are now quite selective with our bites." Jaebum's telescope swiveled again as he tried to focus on Mars. "Vampire bites are incredibly potent."

 

“Yeah, I noticed that earlier,” Jinyoung muttered to himself, grateful that the moonlight wasn’t bright enough to reveal his blush. “I mean, they must be from the way you speak of them,” he tried to correct himself.

 

"Noticed that earlier?" Jaebum looked up from his telescope, his confusion slowly dawning into understanding. "...Jackson and Mark are not very discreet."

 

“No kidding,” Jinyoung replied, even more embarrassed. “But it was my fault too - I didn’t text Mark to tell him I was coming.”

 

"Even when they know you're coming..." Jaebum sighed, having caught the same sight multiple times. "That is what happens with a bite, however."

 

It was difficult to imagine Jaebum walking in on what had been going on in the kitchen at Jackson’s. “Oh, okay….then I’m sure you are pretty happy you don’t have to bite me to get my blood, huh?”

 

Jaebum paused. "...I could, if that is something you wish for."

 

Jinyoung had been trying his hardest not to look at the vampire but his head snapped up, eyes widening as he heard Jaebum’s reply.  He couldn’t have heard him right. “Um, what did you say?”

 

"I could, if that is something you wish for," Jaebum repeated. "It would be more cost-effective, the technician is quite expensive."

 

The young Shifter tried to keep his wits about him but he was having a lot of difficulty. “But you said before that I wasn’t worthy of the bite. If you feel that way then wouldn’t it be unpleasant for you?”

 

"The bite is always quite pleasant - and the blood is sweeter for me, when it comes straight from the source." Jaebum didn't seem to notice Jinyoung's nervousness, having focused completely on Mars. "Now, are you worthy of being bitten? Worthiness is judged in having the bravery to request it."

 

“This kind of feels like a game of “I Dare You,” Jinyoung muttered. He then remembered something Mark had told him not long after they met. “Mark mentioned something about there being 3 places that could be bitten. He and Jackson…..well, Jackson bit him on the neck.”

 

"That makes sense, they are very intimate," Jaebum mused. "The wrist is the most common bite, despite what fairy tales will have you believe."

 

“The wrist? That doesn’t seem so bad. So the other place would be….” Jinyoung tried to think of a spot. “The foot maybe?”

 

Jaebum arched his eyebrow. "The inner thigh. Jackson's favorite place to bite, as I'm sure he's regaled you with."

 

“I probably blocked it out,” Jinyoung murmured, looking away from the taller vampire. “That seems even more...intimate.”

 

"That is the most intimate one," he confirmed, finally looking up from his telescope. "Some vampires reserve that only for special occasions."

 

“I’m sure Jackson’s special occasion is Tuesday,” Jinyoung replied wryly. “Or any day ending with -day, for that matter..”

 

That observation caused the taciturn vampire to surprisingly chuckle. "Or if the sun's out, or it's raining, or he's bored..."

 

“Or all of the above,” Jinyoung added with a laugh. “Poor Mark.”

 

"I get the feeling that while Mark complains loudly, he truly enjoys Jackson's company."

 

The Shifter nodded. “I think you are right. They seem to fit well together.”

 

"It is quite unusual, however. Shifters aren't usually seen in public with their patrons."

 

“I’ll try not to be in the way, Jaebum-ssi. I tend to blend into the crowd pretty well. No one ever notices me.”

 

"Ah." The vampire smiled to himself. "So you haven't noticed your glamour appearing."

 

An expression of confusion crossed the younger man’s face. “Glamour? I don’t know what you are talking about.”

 

"Faerie glamour? ...What are they teaching in schools these days?"

 

Jinyoung rolled his eyes. “Those are just old wives’ tales. Glamour isn’t real.”

 

"And until a few months ago, you didn't believe in werewolves."

 

“That is something more tangible. I’ve met Mark. I should think I would know if I was using glamour. I don’t look or feel any different. The only thing that makes me this supposed Shifter you say I am is the way my blood tastes to you, Jaebum.”

 

"I have seen it," the vampire insisted. "At your workplace, the amount of people who come to you have increased exponentially."

 

“That is part of my job, Jaebum-sii,” Jinyoung said patiently. “I help people when I’m not stuck with my nose in a book.” He paused. “You’ve seen it? You’ve been at the library when I’ve been working?”

 

"Patrons take care of Shifters," Jaebum reminded. "And I am not easy to spot, if I make myself so - besides, reading the human view of history is interesting, if somewhat incorrect."

 

“And I’m sure the vampire view of history is completely unbiased,” Jinyoung replied with a sigh. “I can take care of myself, you know - it’s just the library.”

 

"Oh no, of course it's biased - but I saw exactly what happened." Jaebum abandoned his telescope and fell on his back, staring up at the night sky. "It is a patron's duty to ensure a Shifter's safety. To you it is just a library, to me it is interacting with humans who do not understand."

 

“What are you expecting to happen to me at the library? I don’t think anyone actually knows I’m a shifter. I haven’t told anyone.”

 

"You said you wanted a bite, correct? Should that happen, it will become more noticeable - don't ask me how, but the bite heightens your abilities, and humans do recognize this."

 

Jinyoung looked a little nervous. “I didn’t necessarily say I wanted a bite, just that is wasn’t what I expected it to be….and you seem to think I already have a glamour or something like that even without a bite.”

 

"You have a bit of a glamour, but that will naturally become more prominent with time," Jaebum warned. "And even a bite on the wrist, although we heal it immediately, somehow alerts humans that you are in close contact with us."

 

The Shifter unconsciously reached up to touch his face, sleeves slipping down to bare his wrists. “Why can’t I see anything different when I look in the mirror? Shouldn’t I be able to sense any glamour?”

 

"I am not well-versed on fae," he admitted. "I shall research the next time that I am at your library...and of course, observing you." His eyes automatically flicked to Jinyoung's exposed pulse point, and he tried to stop himself from salivating. He had enjoyed what was in the bags, but from the source itself..

 

Jinyoung followed the vampire’s gaze, his own eyes widening when he realized what Jaebum was looking at. “Um…..have you fed yet, Jaebum-ssi?”

 

"Not today..." Jaebum tried to tear his eyes away. "I have stock, you needn't trouble yourself."

 

“Oh….okay…” Jinyoung said quietly. He wasn’t sure he had been going to offer his wrist but now that the other had suggested that was what he had been doing he couldn’t get it off his mind. “I’m sure you prefer the bags anyway…” he added, looking back up into the sky, a faint scent of rosemary and rainwater lingering in the air that hadn’t been there before.

 

"Well no, our nutrition is much more palatable when it comes straight from the source. However, considering the ramifications of the bite, we aren't going to line up every human and demand a drink." The vampire inhaled deeply, rosemary's woodsy smell suddenly filling his nostrils. "...Interesting. Rosemary doesn't grow here...do you smell that?"

 

The Shifter shook his head. “No...it just smells like nighttime to me. The air is cool and fresh and nothing like it smells like in the city. It’s nice.”

 

"And yet you prefer your freedom in the city. Was it truly free there?"

 

“I could do what I wanted, when I wanted - except, of course, when I had to get in line at the Center. I didn’t have much but it was mine….I know that doesn’t seem like much to you, Jaebum-ssi, but it means a lot to me.”

 

"And what is the difference here?" Jaebum asked. "Your surroundings have changed, but isn't the rest the same?"

 

“So if I wanted to leave, I could?”

 

"You could, but that's risking your life, and mine."

 

Now that made no sense…

 

“Yours? I doubt there would be any change in your life if I disappeared from it, Jaebum-ssi. You’d likely be the same as you were a few months ago. That’s barely a blink in your lifetime, isn’t it?”

 

"A Shifter is integral to a vampire's life, I strongly suggest you read up on it. When a vampire crosses paths with one, they are responsible for the safety and security of the Shifter, at risk of execution."

 

Jinyoung shook his head, brow furrowed in worry. “That can’t be. You shouldn’t have to be responsible for me, and definitely not die because of me. That isn’t right….it isn’t fair to you. I can talk to someone - tell them it has nothing to do with you.”

 

"You cannot." Jaebum's tone was sharp. "You are absolutely forbidden to speak to any Council member - and that is my one rule."

 

The vampire hadn’t laid hands on him but his words were as sharp as a slap across the face. “So I’m just supposed to let you die because of me? I can’t do that.”

 

The vampire stood up and quickly started to pack his telescope away. "If you would like certain death for both of us, then be my guest."

 

“So it’s a prison for you too….” Jinyoung murmured, sitting up and looking out towards the city. “Do you wish you had never discovered me?”

 

"There are laws in our society to keep us from fighting, I do not see it as a prison." Jaebum closed his case and held it carefully. "You should be grateful that I accepted the role of your patron - because others would be nowhere near as generous."

 

Jinyoung stood, lingering for a moment as he stared out at twinkling lights of the city. “You didn’t really answer the question,” he asked, not meeting the vampire’s eyes.

 

"I'm sure you would have much preferred it if you hadn't been discovered," Jaebum said simply. "I am grateful that you are safe here."

 

“I don’t like being a burden to anyone...and I’m sorry I’m not what you hoped I would be,” the Shifter said as he passed the vampire, his voice muted. “Goodnight, Jaebum-ssi. Thank you for letting me look at the stars with you.”

 

"...You aren't a burden, Jinyoung," the vampire said quietly. "Goodnight."

 

“I….you can bite me if you want tomorrow night,” Jinyoung stammered as he retreated, not waiting for an answer.

 

"I...I'll look forward to it?" Jaebum stared at Jinyoung's hurriedly retreating form, the vampire now incredibly confused and not even his beloved stars could help him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Research.

Jinyoung usually prided himself on being able to focus - his research was flawless, detailed and well-thought out, earning grudging praise from his supervisors.

 

So why was it that today he found himself reading the same paragraph time and time again and never seemed to absorb a single word? 21st century musical trends really wasn’t <i>that</i> complicated a subject.

 

_Oh yeah….the whole ‘you can bite me if you want’ thing..._

 

Why had he said that?

 

More importantly, why wasn’t he backing down from the words? He could have told the vampire it was a mistake, left a message that morning before he left that he had changed his mind…

 

But he hadn’t.

 

Maybe it was the researcher in him, the need to find out for himself what the bite of a vampire felt like.

 

_Maybe it was what you saw with Mark and Jackson…_  a tiny voice interjected and Jinyoung shoved it back into the part of his brain labeled ‘Things we don’t think of because what the HELL are we thinking?’

 

So, yes, the Shifter’s day was a complete wash and he returned to the mansion that evening, nails bitten to the quick and a lot on his mind.

 

Jaebum was no monk, but he had gotten used to his solitary lifestyle – reading, roaming around the city when it wasn’t too bright or hot, ignoring Jackson’s constant texts. It didn’t feel odd to have dinner alone, or to pour the contents of one of his blood bags into a wine glass for a quiet drink before bed.

 

It didn’t surprise him one bit that Jinyoung preferred the more chaotic and colorful atmosphere with Jackson and Mark, and he never said a word when Jinyoung would arrive home late – he knew where his Shifter was, he was safe. That was the most important thing.

 

The door slamming in the early evening started Jaebum out of his reverie, and he looked up just as he finished emailing the Council to confirm his presence at the monthly meeting.

 

Jinyoung stood there, again pale and sweaty, making Jaebum make another mental note to find a human doctor until he recalled the night before.

 

_That was right. He requested a bite._

 

“You aren’t going next door? For your nerves, I mean.”

 

Jinyoung blinked several times as he heard the now familiar voice, Jaebum’s question bringing him out of his thoughts (thoughts that revolved around that very same vampire that he was trying so hard to ignore and failing gloriously, mind you). “Ah, no I don’t think I would like to interrupt them right now…” he managed to stammer as he set his bag down on the table not far away from Jaebum. He rifled through the contents, an excuse to keep his hands busy. “Um….how was your day, Jaebum-ssi?”

 

“Quiet?” Jaebum hesitated, unused to small talk. “I wasn’t able to go into the city today, the sun was too bright to be comfortable…I suppose I just attended my normal duties, agreed to the next Council meeting, I’m sure vampire life isn’t something that you’re that curious about.”

 

He lifted himself out of his sleek armchair and drew closer to Jinyoung, looming over him like an awkward shadow. “And yours?”

 

“Quiet too….I mean, it is a library after all,” Jinyoung quipped, a slight smile on his lips before he looked up at the vampire nervously. Jaebum wasn’t that much taller that he was but right now to Jinyoung he seemed like a giant, cool and imposing. “And I’m sure you aren’t all that curious about human life either, are you? We must seem pretty boring to you.”

 

“It has…evolved greatly since I experienced it.” Jaebum pointed to an elaborate painting of a young man that hung on the wall, an ornate and heavy contrast to his more modern decorating style. “That portrait was painted of me shortly before I was turned. I couldn’t imagine that boy in this time, and yet here I am.”

 

Jinyoung looked up at the painting, his eyes widening as he recognized the attire the figure was wearing. “Renaissance? It must have been quite a time to live….” he murmured in appreciation. “Not like now.”

 

“I had been travelling with my patron,” Jaebum explained. “He thought it would be interesting to have my portrait commissioned while we were visiting Italy – or what humans used to call Italy – before we returned. We traveled undercover, but…” he paused. “It was an extraordinary time to live. Thousands of inventions and ideas, so many strides to make the human existence seem meaningful.”

 

“I wish I had been alive then,” Jinyoung said wistfully, taking a step closer to the painting. “Maybe then my life would have had some purpose.”

 

“It wasn’t all good – disease, famine, rats underfoot.” Jaebum chuckled again as he looked at his portrait. “I remember I hated the collar, all of that lace. It itched, and I missed my hanbok. I suppose that the Renaissance is one of the eras that you love to study?”

 

“I know it wasn’t all good….but it still wasn’t as bleak as it is now and new things were being discovered every day,” Jinyoung replied. “Now you have to go out into the country to escape the haze of pollution here and enjoy the sun - and that’s if you are allowed. I don’t think I’ve seen a truly sunny day since my father took me to the countryside when I was younger - that was probably the last time. Still not sure how we were allowed to go. He never told me.”

 

“There are ways to go, should you meet the requirements,” he said thoughtfully. “Was your father perhaps a personal servant? They are allowed more leeway and less supervision than other humans. And if it’s the sun and wind you want, why not go to the preserve with Mark one day?”

 

Jinyoung shook his head. “My father wasn’t a personal servant. He was just a factory worker. He worked extra shifts so I could go to school and try to make something of myself. I’ve probably let him down but it is what it is. I don’t want to bother Mark more than I already have, Jaebum-sshi. He and Jackson have already done so much for me.”

 

“He might enjoy taking you out to the preserve. I’ve gone out there on particularly grey days, and I’ve found it to be lovely. Jackson goes all the time, regardless of weather…in fact, Mark might like it if you did go once in a while, to stop Jackson from worrying.” He sent a text to Jackson while it was on his mind. 

 

“A factory worker…” Jaebum mused. “There were rumors of a fae Shifter in the factories, one we couldn’t detect.”

 

“Maybe I’ll talk to Mark about it,” Jinyoung looked back at the vampire. “My father didn’t say anything about being a Shifter. It probably wasn’t him.”

 

"Would you have wanted to know?"

 

“It might have prepared me for my life being turned upside down.”

 

Jaebum smiled wryly. "I would know all about that."

 

Jinyoung shook his head. “Not quite the same, Jaebum-ssi. I think you’ve had some time to grow accustomed to being a vampire - and you are at the top of the food chain.” The Shifter paused, then asked curiously. “Did you _want_  to be a vampire?”

 

"I was prepared for it." Jaebum paused and looked at the portrait again. "Or rather...I knew that it would happen, inevitably. Pockets of vampires would occasionally lash out, especially if they knew that a Shifter was nearby. I was drained and near death, if it weren't for my patron."

 

Jinyoung had looked back at the painting as well, quietly admiring the handsome face replicated in oils from centuries long past.  However his eyes snapped back to Jaebum, widening at the other’s words. “Wait…..you were a Shifter?”

 

He nodded. "Kumiho. That was back when we roamed the world freely. Very few of us survived through the entire rebellion, and the ones that I can still sense are in hiding."

 

Jinyoung let the other’s revelation sink in. This man - this _vampire_  - was, if what everyone said was true and at this point Jinyoung had no reason to doubt it, a Shifter like he is. Or was, rather, since there was no doubt that Jaebum was a vampire now. 

 

“So you really didn’t have a choice. Well, you _did_  but the other choice was dying permanently.”

 

"And when you're offered life when you're on the brink of death, you take it," he agreed. "I miss my Shifter blood, but...I am also happy that I don't live in hiding. I suppose that's quite selfish."

 

“I wish Shifters felt safe enough to _not_  have to live in hiding,” Jinyoung murmured. He looked down at his wrist and spoke again, this time not looking up. “Shifters are rare now so vampires live on human blood, right? What makes Shifter blood so different?”

 

"There's a very good holodisk on the subject, but in a nutshell, Shifters and vampires come from the same magical ether," he explained. "Shifter blood is particularly nutritious for vampires, and the taste is much more pronounced and flavorful. Normal human blood tastes quite metallic and bland."

 

“So human blood is like fast food and Shifter blood is a full, 4 course meal….”

 

"I suppose that's a good analogy for it."

 

Jinyoung thought back to the conversation last night and his difficulties focusing today and finally gave up on trying to ignore the elephant in the room. “When was the last time you ate, Jaebum-ssi?”

 

"Last night, after you went to bed," Jaebum admitted. "...You seemed quite interested in receiving the gift of a bite."

 

“I….um, I guess I’m curious,” Jinyoung acknowledged. “You already know what my blood tastes like so I guess it wouldn’t be a big deal for you. I probably shouldn’t have asked about it. I’m sorry…”

 

"I had a small sample, along with the rest of the vampires who qualified for protecting Shifters." Jaebum wandered to a panel in the wall and tapped on it, and the room suddenly filled with the sounds of Jaebum's favorite soothing classical violin music. "I recall that your blood is quite sweet."

 

“Jackson said I smelled sweet, not spicy like Mark does,” Jinyoung murmured as he reached down to touch his wrist, the pulse beating hard and fast from his nerves.

 

"You do smell sweet," Jaebum confirmed. "That's how we know that your Shifter bloodline comes from the fae. Were blood tends to be more peppery."

 

“Must have been pretty disappointing to discover I’m not sweet in real life,” Jinyoung said with a wry smile. “I’m stubborn and independent and I’m not afraid to speak my own mind. Those are not sweet traits.”

 

Jaebum showed a flash of fang before settling down on the sleek sofa. "I would have no interest in a subservient Shifter."

 

“That wasn’t the way you made it seem that first night,” Jinyoung remarked, looking around for a place to sit. “It felt like you wanted me to be groveling at your feet for taking me in…”

 

"A test." Jaebum waved it off. "If you had groveled, I probably would have sent you off to a vampire who would suit you better."

 

The Shifter looked at Jaebum skeptically, sitting on the edge of the chair closest to the sofa. “If you say so…”

 

"And I do hate to admit it, but all of this blood talk is making me quite hungry." Jaebum's eyes flicked to Jinyoung's flash of exposed wrist.

 

Jinyoung followed the vampire’s gaze. “Oh…” he said quietly, then reached down to unbutton his cuff and roll the fabric back, the skin covering his wrist smooth and unblemished, the faint blue lines of his veins interrupting the light tan. “I guess that would be okay, Jaebum-ssi. What do you need me to do?”

 

"Just relax, as best you can." Jaebum's touch was light as he brought Jinyoung's wrist to his lips, his movements gentle as he carefully pinpointed the best place to bite. "I know when a pause is necessary - and it doesn't hurt."

 

Jinyoung closed his eyes, trying to will away the tension he knew had been building throughout the day. He would just get this over with and sate his curiosity - and Jaebum could get dinner. 

 

That’s all this was.

 

He supposed he should be proud - after all, he probably covered all the 4 major food groups for vampires, whatever they were _(blood, blood, blood, and oh yes, blood his brain helpfully supplied_ ). Park Jinyoung was no McDonalds, no sirree....

 

“Okay, I’m ready.”

  
  


Jaebum waited for the violin to swell and examined his wrist again. As he had learned and remembered from centuries past, the correct point to cause the most intense sensations seemed to jump out at him. He tested the spot with a small prick of his fangs, and the amount of give confirmed he found the right place as his fangs sank deeply into his skin, a soft hiss coming from the vampire as his mouth was filled with the rich, citrus-tasting blood that he craved.

  
  


Jinyoung expected pain - it was a bite after all and vampire fangs were notoriously sharp. He promised to himself that he wouldn’t show any weakness in front of the vampire. He could handle this. It was just a bite, right?

 

He didn’t expect this.

 

The Shifter’s eyes snapped open, the irises briefly flashing gold before he felt pleasure wash over him as he gasped in surprise. A warmth spread from his wrist, up his arm, and down through the rest of his slim frame, settling in his lower belly. Everything tingled and…

 

And….

 

And...he couldn’t help the soft whimper that escaped, not _quite_  a moan.

 

Jaebum knew the sudden tingles, the moans, the way that being fed upon would make his cock rock-hard, but those were all with his lover, not with a virtual stranger. Whatever he was expecting, it wasn’t _this_.

 

That didn’t stop his feeding, not when such a treat flowed freely and none of the warning signs had appeared. No, he would savor every drop that he could.

 

Mark had said that bites could be intimate but he also said that the wrist was the least intimate of the three preferred spots….

 

...and if _this_  was the least intimate, then he was in very big trouble.

 

Jinyoung’s cock stirred, as if agreeing with the sentiment. Soft whimpers and gasps passed his lips, his body squirming as he fought to keep his wrist perfectly still for the fangs still embedded within.

 

It had felt like – had probably been – centuries since he had fed directly from a donor.

 

_Damn._  There it was, the pull and squirm that signaled enough; taking much more would cause issues.

 

He reluctantly pulled out his fangs, his tongue darting out to lightly lick up stray drops and close Jinyoung’s wounds; that could provide more lovely twists and moans and whimpers. He didn’t think fae were more responsive to the least intimate bite, but something about the way he gasped…

 

..Jaebum discretely grabbed a blanket and dropped it over his lap.

 

The glazed look slowly disappeared from Jinyoung’s eyes, the younger man shifting in his seat as he realized he was still aroused and all from a ‘simple’ bite. It was too bright  in the room to hide the growing blush on his face. He stood on shaky feet, hands trying to cover his front, where something else had grown. “I….um, I’ll be right back.”

 

"Uh...right, I'll be..." Jaebum fumbled. "I just...I left something in my room..."

 

The Shifter escaped to the bathroom, not stopping until the door was closed behind him. He leaned back against the door, eyes closed and one hand over his racing heart. Once it slowed he opened his eyes and looked down at the erection he still sported. “Traitor,” he muttered, shaking his head as he tried unsuccessfully to will it away. He knew it had been awhile but this was ridiculous.

 

Mark had said that the wrist was the least erotic spot to bite, hadn’t he? If that was unerotic then he had better never take a bite on his neck…..and no way in hell would fangs come near his thighs...

 

How was he going to show his face to Jaebum again?

  
  



	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Advice.

In general, Jaebum didn’t trust anyone, especially not with his darkest secrets.

 

Especially not with his darkest secrets that happened to involve his Shifter roommate? Companion? Something like that, he couldn’t quite put his finger on what Jinyoung really was to him, but he was comfortable enough to share his past, which like everything else he kept top secret.

 

When it came to the matter of bites, however, there was only one expert that he knew – a smug one with a penchant for ruffling Jaebum’s feathers (and he cursed the day that he was _ever_ Turned), but Jackson was the only one he knew and in this case, the Ice Prince needed advice.

 

He barged into Jackson’s mansion unannounced, just like the thousands of times that his friend loved to annoy him with. “So I bit him,” he announced.

“…And what the _fuck_ do you do next?”

Jackson looked up from his book (‘Twenty Different Ways to Keep Weeds Growing’ - it was one of his favorites), arching an eyebrow. “About time….and why are you here and not biting Jinyoungie some more? I’m sure you were boring and bit him on the wrist. Don’t tell me you were sloppy and made a mess…”

Jaebum rolled his eyes. “On my antique rug? Are you mad?”

He sat stiffly next to the younger vampire and pulled his book out of his hands, somehow irritated just by being next to the little ball of sunshine. “Correct, I bit him on the wrist. Once, as I take more precautions than you do when it comes to taking too much. And he behaved as Mark does.”

“What do you mean, ‘behaved as Mark does?’ When I bite him he gets all…” Jackson’s voice trailed off, his eyes widening and his expression turning scandalous. 

“Oh….. _ohhhhh_.... and just from a wrist bite, you say?” He paused, studying his stalwart friend. “And how did you feel about that, Jaebummie? Did it make you feel all tingly in your boy bits?”

 

Jaebum gritted his teeth. "It most definitely did _not_ ," he lied. "I am here for your assistance with Jinyoung."

“Suuuure you didn’t,” Jackson replied with a smirk.  “What kind of assistance? I’m sure you know which parts go where… You may be old but I know that you are aware of the birds and the bees….or the birds and the birds in this case. Or maybe it’s the bats and the not-bats….”

"I'm no virgin Jackson, and you know it - not attending the orgies doesn't make me a prude." Jaebum frowned. "Anyway, Jinyoung has indicated he has no interest in that kind of relationship. I am trying to make the bite less...embarrassing for him."

“If that’s how he responds to a wrist bite then I’m not sure you _can_ make it less embarrassing for him. I’d heard a rumor that Fae were more sensitive to bites, especially if the have a connection to their vampire.” He paused to study Jaebum. “Have you actually talked to him about this? I mean actually talk, not the mumbling, awkward ramblings you give when _you_   are embarrassed…”

"We spoke briefly prior to the bite. He knows a small amount about my past, including my former Shifter status." Jaebum fiddled with the fabric of his trousers, twisting and untwisting it between his fingers. "Then we both chose to...retire...for the evening."

Jackson leaned back, his smirk gentling a bit. “And I’m sure that ‘retiring’ didn’t involve sleeping for a while. Jinyoungie  _is_   attractive, although not quite as cute as my Markie-poo.”

"Jinyoung is quite attractive, I'll agree with you - and I'm sure Mark would find you much more attractive if you were to stop purposefully growing weeds."

Jackson leaned closer, his voice lowering as if divulging a secret to his fellow vampire. “But it’s fun.”

"So I should get Jinyoung worked up as a form of flirting?" Jaebum rolled his eyes. "That's not very hard, just mention vampire superiority."

“If you want hate sex, sure,” Jackson said with a shrug. “Or you could make him love the bite and want more. Seduce him. It doesn’t have to be that cliched vampire suave bullshit. Just do little things that he would appreciate so he feels more at ease around you. You know what you felt with the wrist bite - and don’t tell me you weren’t affected - now just imagine what a neck bite would feel like….”

“I don’t _want_   to seduce him!” 

Jaebum stood up, exasperated as he looked back at his friend. “Do I look like Dracula – or _you_ to you? I’m not like you, I don’t think with my cock – and Jinyoung isn’t the same as Mark. I didn’t like being a toy while I was a Shifter, and I refuse to make him feel the same way, not when it’s a response he can’t control!”   


Jackson remained nonplussed. “Did I say he had to be a toy? Mark isn’t a toy and I would never let him be. It is true that what Jinyoung experiences is out of his control why does it have to be a bad thing? Why can’t you show him that it can be a wonderful thing that you two can share? This is give and take, Jaebum. Right now Jinyoung is giving a whole lot and getting nothing in return. Don’t you think he deserves to be a part of this?”

“I give him freedom, privacy, I make sure all his needs are met,” Jaebum reminded. “Jinyoung has ample opportunity to ask for anything he wants, and I see to it that he is able to receive his requests. We have nothing we wish _to_ share. Perhaps stopping the technician’s services due to the financial burden was foolish.”

Jackson shook his head. “Neither of you is going to be satisfied by that, Jaebum. Once bitten the memory remains, both for the vampire and their chosen. Your next drink from a blood draw won’t taste as good - will NEVER taste as good - as that bite. Believe me, I know. Mark and I tried to avoid each other at the beginning. You need to talk to him and I mean _really_ talk to him.”

"I have had live donors before - and yet somehow have been able to restrain myself from needing to keep them around," Jaebum reminded. "Memories can be erased, rewritten - we enjoy our silence and lack of fraternizing."

 

“But Jinyoung isn’t like those other donors, is he? There is something different about him...and have you tried to change his memories? I’m betting that you can’t do it. Not with him.”

"That doesn't mean it's time to break out the lube and whatever the hell you keep in your bedroom. He hasn't asked for me to clear his memories, so I will not."

Jackson rolled his eyes. “I didn’t say you had to fuck him, Jaebum. You can still share pleasure and not feel so damned guilty about it. He hasn’t done anything wrong - and neither have you. Just think about it…..and talk to him. You might be surprised.”

"The only pleasure you think about is fucking, Jackson - because I highly doubt you were talking about the pleasure of a good book or a quiet walk, _alone_ ," he stressed. "I will tell him I am able to erase his memories, he will consent, and then truly nothing happened."

 

An expression fleetingly passed across the younger vampire’s face - _disappointment_.

“Then I guess you don’t know me as as well as you think you do, Jaebum,” he said quietly, briefly meeting Jaebum’s eyes before returning to his book, a clear dismissal. “Goodnight.”

“So prove me wrong.” Jaebum affixed his friend with a steely glare. “Try to share pleasure with Mark without taking your pants off for….hell, I’ll be nice. One day. We both know your definition of pleasure.” He grabbed one of Mark’s treasured gardening books off the shelf and tossed it towards him, letting it land on the couch with a heavy thud. “Here’s one way to start that. I knew coming to you for advice was pointless.”

He stormed out of the house, his confusion and fear replaced entirely with anger – and decisions. Jinyoung would be happy to have his memory of that night erased, and their uneasy silence could continue.

After all, _that_   was what he truly wanted.

_Right?_

  
  


 

  
  
  


  
  
  


 


	6. Confrontations

The Council Hall was perpetually encased in shadows, thanks to its high arched ceilings and stained glass windows that threw abstract shapes onto the tile. It was built purposefully, so that the faces of the Council members always remained in shadow as they sat around the circular table – no other vampire could see their faces, and the echoes made it difficult to distinguish voices. Anonymity was preferred when it came to judgements.

When Jaebum made his way into the hallowed hall, the pillar of vampire society, only one figure was present, seated at the far end of the table. He made no motion to approach and instead stood at the far end of the hall, like any of the accused.

 

“You’re on time.” The president’s voice echoed through the hall, ringing with her millennium of wisdom and experience. “A rare sight among you young ones.”

 

“I’m over seven hundred,” Jaebum responded. He could make out a slender hand waving away his answer dismissively.

 

“You’re all young to me. I’ve called you to question why you haven’t taken your place on the Council, Im Jaebum. Your age and exemplary record more than qualify you for membership.”

 

“I’ve told you before – and for the last two centuries – that I am not interested in being part of the High Council. Is that the end of it? Shall I be off now?”

 

Her heels made a sharp clicking noise across the tile floor, and Kim Hyuna stood before him, breaking protocol by showing her face in an official capacity. “This is _not_  the end of it, and you know it. What are you thinking, Jaebum? We gave you your Shifter in an effort to try to get you to socialize, and what do you end up doing? Pissing off Jackson. _Jackson_ , of all of us! I didn’t think it was possible to piss him off.”

 

“How did you—“ Jaebum groaned. The messengers, silent and skilled at making themselves invisible – of course they would relay any discord in her city.

 

“I do dabble in the impossible – such as not requesting nor requiring a Shifter.”

 

“It has nothing to do with your request, Jaebum. Do you think I’m blind?” An irritated look crossed her pretty face. “I watched you when you tried the sample we had. I saw just how entranced you were. It’s not a sin to want that kind of connection.”

 

Jaebum started to speak, but Hyuna cut him off. “No, don’t give me that loner crap. I see right through you.  You will apologize to Jackson, build your connection, and start preparing to join the Council so that I can finally have a moment of peace and Hyojong and I can resume our travels.”

 

“And if I don’t?” Jaebum affixed her with a steely glare. “Personal affairs aren’t Council matters.”

 

“If you don’t, you will be spending the rest of your days in regret until you think yourself out of existence. Jackson was right, you know – nothing will taste as good as your first bite of a connected Shifter.”

 

Her tone gentled. “Jaebum…even vampires benefit from friendship or love. You’ve got both waiting – but you need to unlock that door.”

 

 

Something wasn't right.....and Jinyoung could feel it. He still did the same tasks when he went to work at the library, research not the most exciting or innovative but something that truly interested him. The past was fascinating...

  
  


...what wasn't interesting was the stares he was now getting. Stares mixed with both curiosity and distrust.

He didn't feel any different and he made sure to keep his wrist covered, the bite scar small and faint - but still there.....and noticed by some.

“Excuse me.”

A blond head of hair peeked out from behind a towering stack of books, which made a loud thump as he placed them on Jinyoung’s desk. He sighed in relief and rubbed his back - it was better than making several trips. “I’d like to check these out, please. You know, for that research paper I’m doing.”

Jinyoung nodded with a polite smile, grateful for the distraction from his train of thought. "Sure. I just need your identification card..." He reached out, the cuff on his sleeve shifting slightly and baring more skin than usual.

“Uh, yeah…” The man pulled out his worn wallet, searching for his library card. “Sorry, I had it just a second ago…”

The card lay at the very top of one of his wallet pockets, but he continued to pretend to rifle through, anything just to be _near_  to this strangely magnetic librarian whom he had been watching for weeks now.

“Here!” He produced it with a flourish, and placing it on the counter caused him to glance at the other’s wrist. 

“You’ve...oh, poor thing, one of those nasty bloodsuckers must have assaulted you! I hope you called the police.”

Jinyoung hastily tugged his sleeve back into place. "I am fine, sir, but thank you for the concern," he murmured, smiling once more but the expression not reaching his eyes. There were whispers lately about the dark-haired librarian's eyes being more expressive and for lack of any other better word 'sparkly' but none of that was seen now.

“You know, I’ve been coming here for a few weeks now, but I never see you with a bandage from the donation center.” He glanced back again at Jinyoung’s covered wrist, then looked back up at him. “...Are you one of them? The traitors?”

Jinyoung blinked slowly, lashes thicker than usual, the smile slipping away. "Traitor? I'm afraid I don't understand."

The flirtatious smile on the customer’s face turned quickly into a grim line. “The traitors. The humans who serve the bloodsuckers in exchange for special benefits. They spy on the rest of us.”

"I have donated since i turned 16 just like everyone else," Jinyoung replied. _Except last time was a little more 'direct', I guess,_   he thought to himself.

“Then why don’t you have any bandages?” Another customer appeared, a woman who appeared to be in her late forties. “Why do we never see you take time off to go to the center?”

Jinyoung looked over at the woman. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

“What?” Her lips pursed. “I bring my son here every morning. He’s three, he likes the children’s storytime hour. I wanted him to be safe here, not be near a traitor.”

The woman had certainly not been here that often - Jinyoung would have remembered her. "I donate my blood like everyone else. I know my duty, no matter how much I don't like it."

“...Somehow, I feel I don’t need any books today.” The man placed the stack at the edge of Jinyoung’s desk and gave him a pointed look - he knew who would have to reshelf them. “I’ll find a library without traitors.”

“The bloodsuckers will never love you,” the woman agreed, then spun on her heel towards the children’s section.

Jinyoung sighed, reaching up to rub his temples with his fingers. He could feel a headache coming on and they were becoming more frequent. It had been that way the past few weeks - accusations that came from out of nowhere and from people he didn't know. He had only been bitten by Jaebum once, yet it seemed to make him different to these people....why couldn't they just let him be?

The small library remained quiet for most of the day, with the occasional glances (and whispers and giggles from the younger patrons) all seemingly directed at Jinyoung. As the last patron was ushered out for the day, Mark slouched in, ready to take them both back to the vampires.

“You read--oh.” Mark glanced at the last person to leave, who suddenly had a threatening glance appear over her usually serene face. “They found out.”

"But I didn't tell anybody," Jinyoung said from behind his desk, looking small and distraught and certainly not like the usual straight forward, confident young man he normally was. "I have done nothing wrong."

“They’ve got a sense for it, once you’ve had a bite.” Mark sat on the edge of his desk and idly started to clean up the surface. “It’s hard, working among humans. They remember the rebellions, and the riots, and the humans who told the vampires about hiding places.”

"But they all give their blood every three months....we all do," Jinyoung said with a shake of his head. "I offered my wrist once. Jaebum hasn't asked again. I don't think he liked it."

“The first bite is _really_  weird,” Mark admitted. “I didn’t talk to Jackson for a long time afterwards, we were just avoiding each other. I thought the same thing.”

"But you and Jackson......are you and Jackson. Jaebum-ssi is _nothing_  like Jackson," Jinyoung corrected his friend. "He doesn't see me as anything other than a blood source. My blood just tastes a little better than other blood. I'm sure he'd like yours too."

Mark shook his head. “He wouldn’t. Vampires make connections with Shifters, and only their blood tastes exactly the way that they like it. The current Council president is really good at matching Shifters with a vampire who’ll be perfect for them - and trust me, do I have stories about Jackson.”

He stood up. “How about I tell them to you over a drink? We can go to my place, Jackson’s holed himself up since he’s still upset with Jaebum - or I can see if there’s a party tonight.”

"Well, nobody's perfect - not even Council presidents," Jinyoung replied. "I really don't want to go home right now." _Home_  meaning Jaebum's mansion. "It feels even lonelier now that he's avoiding me even more than usual. I should never have offered my wrist."

“Then come visit with me,” Mark urged. “Jackson’s been so quiet that it’s just _weird_  living there.”

"Okay," Jinyoung finally agreed. "I can't even imagine Jackson quiet..."

“When he’s quiet, he’s really upset.” Mark led the way out while texting rapidly. “That fight of his really rattled him.”

"I wonder what they fought about," Jinyoung murmured as he grabbed his bag and followed the other Shifter out. "I guess it really isn't any of my business though."

“I’ve got no idea - and I know way better than to ask Jackson.”

A beep sounded on Mark’s phone, and the message he read made him start to grin. “Hakyeon’s bored, too. Shifter party night.”

Jinyoung's eyes widened. "But I haven't met any other Shifters - except for you, of course. Are you sure the others are okay with that?"

“Oh yeah, I promise they’re all pretty cool. Hakyeon’s patron is Council, so he’s got plenty of meetings - which means he hosts a lot of parties.”

"As long as I'm not intruding," the younger man murmured. "I get nervous around new people."

“It’s not going to be massive. There aren’t a lot of us left, you know. Mostly other weres, but there’s a fae or two in the mix.”

"So Fae really aren't that common....."

“Really rare.” Mark laughed. “You were in no danger of being a bet in a poker game, like me. Jackson said he won me.”

Jinyoung nearly ran into the door on the way out. "He what? Please tell me he was joking."

“Not joking. Council president decided to take me even though she has a Shifter, so I probably wasn’t that hot of a property. She loves poker, Jackson decided to play a few rounds so he could persuade her to bet me.”

Jinyoung shook his head, both in disbelief and in admiration. "He must really have wanted you...I know you say he is annoying but it still has to feel nice to be wanted."

“He’s annoying,” Mark insisted. “...But I guess that’s why I like him so much. He’s really kind, even though he likes to hide it with all of the sex talk and the cutesy nicknames.”

He climbed into his hover, expectant. “Coming?”

Jinyoung nodded, slipping into the passenger seat. "Yeah.....I guess it couldn't hurt."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wasn't quite sure where to split this chapter - so the second part will be posted right after this lol.


	7. New acquaintances and even newer revelations...

Mark flipped on his favorite rock music and drove further into the vampire quarters than normal, the mansions growing older and larger on each street. He finally parked at one of the largest ones, several hovers already in place in its immaculate driveway. “See, this is what happens when you’ve got a vampire who actually cares about how the front looks,” he grumbled as he stepped out, not a weed in sight. “Intimidating on the outside, not so much on the inside.”

Jinyoung looked around, his eyes growing bigger and his jaw dropping. He had thought Jaebum's mansion was big....Well, it was, but not like _this_.  He almost told Mark that had changed his mind and he would go back to the lonely yet familiar mansion…

No, he couldn't be such a chicken...it was ridiculous. Finally he followed the other Shifter to the front door, trying to school his nerves.

The loud music signaled that this was definitely _not_  one of the stuffy vampire parties, despite the opulence revealed once Mark opened the front door, not bothering to knock - he didn’t need to, not when it was just Shifters. This vampire clearly preferred the finer things in life; silk and marble were prominent, and the fine paintings decorating the long hallway would cost a human a lifetime to be able to afford.

Mark seemed completely unfazed by the richness, and instead headed towards the small gathering in the main downstairs area. “Hakyeon!”

A slender young man with a surprising shock of silver hair nearly bounded towards them, beers in hand to give to his new guests. “Heeey, you made it! This must be Jinyoung - I’m Hakyeon, one of Mark’s packmates. Having fun so far?”

Jinyoung tentatively took one of the glasses. "I'm not sure fun is the way I would describe it," he said with a nod of thanks.

“Overwhelming, chaotic, sexy…” Hakyeon supplied, an easy smile coming over his face. “Welcome to the Shifters, the best group around. We’re almost all were of some variety, but we’ve got a couple of fae like you.”

"I would agree with the first two," Jinyoung said with a nod, carefully not mentioning the third since it had nothing to do with him and Jaebum.

“So did I, when I first got pulled...good lord, when was that? Two or three hundred years ago? Time goes by so fast.” The were shook his head. “Anyway, make yourself at home, get acquainted with the place. I’m sure Mark told you this is Party Central.”

"He mentioned that....what exactly do you do here, other than drink?" he asked, taking a drink of the beer in his hand - it definitely wasn't the cheap stuff.

“Hang out, play games...chat about Shifter stuff. I guess it’s pretty similar to human parties, but you hear a lot about bites and fleas.”

"I didn't really go to a lot of human parties, to be honest.....and I'm afraid I don't have fleas," Jinyoung said wryly.

Hakyeon laughed and patted Jinyoung’s back. “Even better, you can’t spread them! But outside of that, you can just ask about Shifter stuff, like how to get on with the vampires. It’s tricky.”

"You are telling me," he muttered. "I don't understand them at all - other than my blood seems to suddenly have become extra tasty."

 

“I mean, it’s hard for us to understand since we don’t need to drink blood, but...well, the way that it was explained to me was with beer.” Hakyeon gestured towards the newcomer's glass. “See, what you’re drinking is what Shifter blood is like to vampires. It’s rich, there’s a lot of flavor to it, and it’s more complex. Human blood is closer to, say, one of those watery things that college kids drink.”

"Well, Jaebum-ssi seems to enjoy the bottled version instead of straight from the keg," Jinyoung murmured as he took another drink, draining nearly half the glass.

“Also, if you’re drinking from the keg, you need more to get that buzz, less when it’s a good beer. Vampires have to drink a ton when it’s just normal blood, but they only need a few mouthfuls from a Shifter.”

"Well, he doesn't like this particular keg so…”

“First bite,” Mark supplied by way of explanation.

Hakyeon’s gaze turned sympathetic. “And it got you really horny, didn’t it?”

“It was only from the wrist…Mark said that was supposed to be the least intimate spot to bite…” Jinyoung cast an accusatory glance the werewolf’s way.

  
  


“I told you the truth, what’re you blaming me for?” Mark sputtered. “I told you it was going to feel good!”

“Hey, it makes everyone really horny – no matter where you bite. Just so happens that you’re much less likely to want to bang a vampire after a wrist bite.” Hakyeon spoke with an air of authority that only came after a few centuries of having a patron. “But it’s the same thing, with everyone. First bite is weird, you don’t talk to the vampire for weeks – or a few months, in Mark’s case.”

“You didn’t say it would feel like _that_ ,” Jinyoung muttered. “Jaebum-ssi definitely has been avoiding me since so it’s pretty obvious he didn’t feel the same way about the bite.”

"Jackson seriously didn't talk to me for months. He was weirded out, so was I." Mark shrugged and downed his beer, then reached for a new one. "And it only happens if the vampire feels a real connection to you, and hell, what I knew about Jaebum.."

“..is more than I know about him,” Jinyoung completed the sentence. “The only thing he’s really told me about himself was that he was a Shifter before he was turned.”

Mark raised an eyebrow. “So then you know more about him than me.”

“Taekwoon thought that was the case,” Hakyeon mused. “That’s probably why he waited so long to take a Shifter, since he remembered the pain of turning and didn’t want to accidentally turn anyone. He had a vampire lover, but this was even before I was taken in.”

“So he didn’t tell any of you about that?” Jinyoung asked, confused. Jaebum actually shared something that he hadn’t told anyone else - with _him_?

The mention of Jaebum having a lover, even if it was decades - or centuries even - ago, made something stir in the pit of Jinyoung’s stomach.

It was almost as if he was _jealous_...

“I swear this is the first time I’m hearing about this. Jaebum’s a really private person. I guess that’s why Jackson really glommed onto him, to try and draw him out of his shell. First time I’ve heard about this lover, too.”

“This is all centuries old rumors,” Hakyeon insisted. “But according to Taek, he had a vampire lover, but we weren’t sure if Jaebum was a Shifter or not. Almost as soon as Jaebum was turned, his lover dropped him for newer blood. Turns out that this lover had a nasty habit of that.”

“Sounds like an asshole to me,” Jinyoung mumbled, a frown marring his handsome features.  He didn’t know Jaebum very well but no one deserved to be treated like that.

“Most vampires are assholes,” Hakyeon agreed, then lifted his bottle. “Cheers to the ones who aren’t.”

“Jaebum doesn’t seem so bad,” Jinyoung protested, taking a drink from the glass Hakyeon had given him. The beer tasted better than usual.

“You’d know better than we would,” Mark pointed out. “But he can’t be that bad if he had the same reaction that we all did after first bite. It was too awkward to talk to Jackson until he sat me down and forced me to talk about what had happened. Things got better after that.”

“I don’t think he really wants to sit down and talk with me about _that_ ,” Jinyoung replied, embarrassed. “I am sure that is the farthest thing from his mind. He got the blood he wanted and that’s that.”

“He’s gonna keep wanting it – and you’re fae, they like to keep giving it. At least, that’s according to Jongdae.” Hakyeon pointed out the young Shifter in question, who seemed to be floating between conversations.

Jinyoung’s eyes followed Hakyeon’s gesture, widening when they took in the petite man across the room. “He doesn’t have _wings_ , does he?”

"I don't think so - Jongie!" Hakyeon grinned and waved, getting the young man's attention. "Jongie, do you have wings?"

The other Shifter turned as Hakyeon called him, approaching the new group. “Not unless you make me REALLY happy, if you know what I mean,” he said with a catlike grin. “Who’s the cutie….is he the fresh meat they were talking about?”

“This is Jinyoung, he’s Jaebum’s Shifter,” Hakyeon introduced. “He’s finally a fae for you to hang out with– and just found out when he went through Shifter puberty. Just had his first bite and it freaked him out pretty hard. Jinyoung, this is Jongdae.”

Jinyoung was about to introduce himself when Jongdae interrupted. “Ice Prince, huh? Not sure I should offer my congratulations or condolences. You could definitely do worse. Jaebum has always been standoffish but not cruel like some of them can be.” His eyes scanned Jinyoung’s frame. “First bite….betcha that was a shocker. No one ever sets you for what to expect.”

"Well you've got Jongin, he's nice enough," Hakyeon pointed out. "But we're going at this from a were standpoint, not fae. How was it for you?"

The petite Shifter considered. “It was….intense is a good word, I suppose. Of course, Jonginnie went right for my neck the first time. He’s kind of impulsive that way.” He saw the look of horror on Jinyoung’s face and rushed to reassure him. “No, no….I didn’t mind. It wasn’t against my will or anything. And boy did it feel gooooood.”

"And after that bite?" Hakyeon prompted. "Remember how awkward that was?"

“Before or after he fucked me silly?”

Hakyeon lightly cuffed the back of Jongdae's head. "After that, dork."

“Ow,” Jongdae scowled, rubbing the back of his head. “Fine, it was kind of awkward for a few days. I swear I got hard whenever I saw him and that was super embarrassing. He seemed to be feeling things too though. I had never seen a vampire blush before - didn’t think it was possible. He was just this big, sexy, walking bundle of awkward. But he didn’t say anything at all…..so I finally said ‘fuck it’ and just kissed him.”

 

"See? Listen Jinyoung, Jongie and I are the oldest Shifters here. We've seen a lot with the vampire and Shifter relations, and we've helped a lot of people through it. You're fine," Hakyeon said gently.

Jinyoung shook his head, downing the rest of his beer in one gulp. “That might be the case for you but neither of you has Jaebum-ssi as your Patron or whatever you call it.”

"Well no, but Jaebum's never taken in a Shifter before. You're the special one, Jinyoung."

"Hey, take it easy on the beer," Mark cautioned. "Shifter awakening can mess with your tolerance."

“I am not special,” Jinyoung retorted with another shake of his head, then turned to Mark. “And I can handle my alcohol. I have only had one beer.”

One deliciously yummy beer. In fact, he had never had a beer so tasty before. He needed another…

Hakyeon obliged, but offered a warning with it. "Too much and you'll be stumbling back home, demanding that Jaebum bite you to prove he's over his ex."

“Not going to happen. I don’t go where I’m not wanted…”

"Mark said that about Jackson, and now everyone's walked in on him feeding."

Mark's ears reddened, but he didn't deny Hakyeon's quite true statement.

Jinyoung sighed. “Like I said, Jaebum isn’t Jackson and I’m not Mark. No one is going to walk in on us doing anything. He doesn’t want that. What he wants is my blood and that’s it.”

“Well...you   _do_  have a really nice ass…” Jongdae piped up.

Hakyeon stole a peek behind Jinyoung to make his own informed opinion. “Gotta say, I agree with Jongie. Fae really have the best asses.”

Mark groaned. “Wasn’t it last week that you both decided that Hyunwoo had the best ass? They do this all the time…”

Jongdae grinned. “He does…..he has the best were ass. I’d climb him like a tree if his vampire wasn’t so overprotective. Sorry, Markie-poo.”

"No offense taken, Jackson's always trying to get at mine, I don't need another...he hasn't been since that big fight of his, though." Mark sighed. "Jackson's usually super overprotective, just like Hoseok is. I guess I miss it."

Jinyoung frowned as he turned to Mark. “Is everything okay?” he asked, worried. As much as all of this was weirding him out he thought Mark and Jackson fit together and he couldn’t imagine them not being around each other, bickering like an old married couple.

"It was that fight between Jackson and Jaebum - I mean, I know I told you, but it's bothering Jackson enough that he's not being really affectionate or demanding blood all the time or just being Jackson. I miss it."

“I wish I knew what they fought about...maybe then I could help fix it,” Jinyoung said wistfully. Of course, it wasn’t as if the vampire would listen to him but Jaebum and Jackson had been getting along just fine until he had shown up.

"I'm pretty sure they just need to hug it out - at least that's what Jackson likes to do when we have a real argument. It helps me." Mark took a long drink of his new beer. "But it'd be a help if you could figure out what's wrong."

 

Jinyoung took another drink, this beer already half gone. “I could ask..” he offered, pleasantly buzzed and feeling warm all over. This was really good beer.

Mark's face seemed to light up, just a bit. "...I'd appreciate it. Hell, anything to try to make him feel better."

Jinyoung nodded, as if to reassure himself that it would be okay to ask Jaebum. “Alright then. I’ll do it.”

Jongdae bit back a grin as he leaned towards Hakyeon, lowering his voice. “I’m betting there’s a neck bite in less than a week.”

“Shifters against upset vampires!” Mark’s bottle clinked against Jinyoung’s. “They forget to take care of themselves, and we clean up the pieces.”

“That is not a bet I would take,” Hakyeon chuckled. “We’re looking at neck bite and possibly more…kid’s going to have one thigh bite and be in bed for months.”

“I guess I can drink to that,” Jinyoung raised his own glass.

Jongdae snickered. “A month, huh? That’s a pretty ballsy prediction, even for you. You think Jaebum is going to take that step so quickly? I mean, Jinyoung does look all different kinds of delicious…”

“Me too…I’ve gotta take it easy tonight though, since I’m driving us back. You too, Hakyeon likes strong drinks.”

“Well, he might not after the neck bite, but thigh usually doesn’t come along too long after that,” Hakyeon reminded. “And hey, he’s cute, and you finally have a new fae to mentor. Bet you love that.”

“I’m fine,” Jinyoung reassured his friend. “It’s only beer.”

Jongdae grinned. “Yeah, it’s like finding a needle in a haystack among all you furry creatures,” he teased the were.

"You know, I've always found it a little more magical on the fae side." Hakyeon looked wistful. "All of the light and the sparkles and the way that you help a cute confused little fae find his wings..."

Jongdae’s grin softened a bit. “I really am glad there is another one of us. We were hunted down for so long. At least weres had pockets of resistance and places to hide. We fae weren’t given that refuge. I’m glad he’s here.”

"Me too," Hakyeon agreed. "We haven't had a new Shifter since Mark and his group popped up, and they're finally all settled in...hey Jongie, is it true what they say about fae jealousy? Maybe we can use that to get little Jinyoung here closer to Jaebum."

The petite fae nodded. “Yup...you get too close to my Jonginnie and if I don’t know you I will go for the proverbial jugular. Our new boy is showing signs that he might start getting a little possessive of Jaebum.” That catlike grin returned. “What do you have in mind?”

Hakyeon lowered his voice as a small smirk formed on his face. "You saw how upset he looked when he found out that his Ice Prince is definitely no virgin? If we keep pressing that little button, he just might realize that he really does want to be with him."

“I like the way you think,” Jongdae purred. “Of course, Jaebum can’t be all stubborn and Ice Prince-like. He needs to appreciate the gift he’s been given.”

"Neither did Jongin, until you tapped into your possessive fae instincts," his friend reminded. "It's hard to ignore a cute Shifter clinging to your side."

“Yeah, but I always knew I was fae,” Jongdae replied. He had been captured from one of the last remaining Sidhe sanctuaries - one that no longer existed. “Jinyoung doesn’t know anything about who and what he is….and that makes it more challenging. He doesn’t understand that the relationship between Vampire and Shifter is symbiotic - he can benefit from it as much as Jaebum.”

"It does...any idea what flavor of fae he is?"

“Not Sidhe,” Jongdae said immediately. “No, definitely not Sidhe. Perhaps Sylph or Dryad….” The Sidhe paused. “Or maybe even Candela - I haven’t seen one in centuries.”

"I could see that..." Hakyeon eyed Jinyoung thoughtfully. "But we won't know for sure until he makes a true awakening."

“I was surprised he could actually see my wings. Not many can unless I tell them about them first.” Jongdae paused long enough that the gossamer-like wings on his back were visible when caught in just the right light.

"So they are always out," Hakyeon admired. "And if Jinyoungie can see them, then maybe he's closer to an awakening than we thought."

“They can be a nuisance so I usually just glamour them invisible,” Jongdae admitted. “I think it might just take another bite from Jaebum to fully awaken Jinyoung - but not a wrist bite…”

"You can tell he's curious about a neck or a thigh bite." Hakyeon then raised his voice enough for Jinyoung to hear. "I just hope that Jaebum's finally over his ex. It's been centuries, you'd think that would happen."

Jinyoung, who had finished his beer and had snuck another past Mark’s watchful eye, looked up as he heard Hakyeon’s words as well as those that followed from the petite fae beside him. “He just needs someone new to fill that place….make him forget.”

"It's bound to be hard though, you know? Seeing all these happy vampires with their Shifters and remembering being one himself."

“And he has a Shifter now...but that Shifter is staying away from him when he should be with him...together.”

"Aww, you can't blame it all on him, but usually Shifters are more intuitive than vampires when it comes to matters of love."

Jinyoung listened, the combination of the others’ conversation and the alcohol now surging through his veins making him jealous of that long ago lover….why couldn’t _he_  be the one to make Jaebum happy?


	8. Chapter 8

"You okay, Jinyoung?" Mark sounded concerned. "Something piss you off?"

 

“I don’t like people taking what is mine…” the younger Shifter muttered, finishing his beer and setting down the glass with a flourish. “I need to go home….now.”

 

"Yeah, I'll get you home," Mark promised, then groaned when he saw the extra drinks Jinyoung had managed to get into him. "Told you to take it easy...."

 

“I AM easy…..um, that’s not what I meant, I don’t think,” Jinyoung muttered as he lined up the glasses in a neat row.

 

It was a lot of glasses.

 

"I'm going to have to pour you out of the hover, aren't I?" Mark carefully led him out of the house, making hasty goodbyes and promises to meet up later with other friends. "Do me a favor and drink plenty of water the second you get back to the house."

 

“Don’t worry...I don’t get drunk,” Jinyoung reassured the were as he waved at a bemused Jongdae and Hakyeon and managed to get into the passenger seat of the hover.

 

Mark drove slowly back, careful not to jostle Jinyoung too much - the last thing he needed in his hover was redecorating. "You should probably take something, too."

 

”Take something? I don’t need something….” _Unless that something is….Jaebummie_.

 

"Aspirin, for what's bound to be a nasty headache in the morning." It was luckily a short drive, but Mark made sure to pull up as close to the front door as he could. "Do you need help getting out?"

 

“Nah, I’m good,” Jinyoung singsonged. “Reeeeallly good.” He waved at the were as he got out of the hover and pulled open the front door, remembering that he didn’t have to knock anymore. “My house…” he murmured with a giggle as he entered. “My hallway…..my rug…..my creepy as fuck statue…” he continued as he stumbled down the hall.

 

Jaebum had settled in with a book in the living room, resigning himself to another quiet night. The Council had business, and he was quite familiar with Hakyeon and his parties while his patron was away - of course Mark would want to take Jinyoung with him.

 

He had just turned the page when he heard sudden stumbles and giggles – Jinyoung _giggled?_

 

He slowly stood up and blocked the entrance into the room until he made sure that it was his Shifter there and no intruder.

 

“…Jinyoung? Are you all right?”

 

Jinyoung looked up at the vampire and smiled, gaze unguarded as he reached up and touched the taller man’s cheek. “....My Jaebummie.”

 

Jaebum nearly stepped backwards in shock – where was this coming from? The strong smell of beer coming off of Jinyoung’s breath had to be the culprit, but his fingers just felt so nice on his cool cheek –

 

\--  No, not like this. Not while he was impaired.

 

“How much have you had to drink?”

 

Jinyoung frowned as he considered. “Only 4 or 5 or 19 or something like that. I don’t get drunk that easily. I’m just happy and fuzzy right now. It feels nice.” He reached to take Jaebum’s hand and place it on his own cheek. “See? Nice.”

 

“Nice…” Jaebum echoed as his fingertips seemed to lightly caress Jinyoung’s cheek on their own. “…But we need to get you some water. I will not be happy until you do.”

 

Jinyoung sighed. “Well, if it will make you happy….I suppose it’s okay.” He allowed himself to be guided into the other room, still holding the vampire’s hand.

  
  


"I have never gone to Hakyeon's parties, but I do know his taste." Jaebum wasted no time in pouring a large glass of water and setting it in front of Jinyoung. "Drink. Your head will feel a little clearer."

 

Jinyoung took a drink, his brow furrowing as he made a face. “The stuff at Hakyeon’s tasted better…” he muttered as he finished the glass.

 

"But this is better for you." Jaebum took the glass and refilled it, again pushing it in front of Jinyoung. "Hangovers aren't fun."

 

“I don’t suppose they are,” Jinyoung reasoned, taking another drink of the boring, doesn’t-taste-as-good water. “Or else they wouldn’t be called hangovers.”

  
"So to minimize this, no more beer tonight," Jaebum said firmly. "You may have as much water as you would like."

 

“Boo,” Jinyoung said with a pout, looking up at the vampire. 

 

"Or would you rather wake up sick tomorrow? I know that you don't have to work but that's a hell of a way to spend a day off."

 

“How do you know that if I get sick or not?” the shifter challenged. “You don’t even know what I like.”

 

"I have learned enough about humans to know that excessive alcohol makes them sick - and I don't understand why not knowing your preferences has to do with a hangover."

 

“It’s because you don’t care, right?” Jinyoung asked sadly. “You just want a snack….it isn’t like I’m anything like your ex or whatever, just dinner.”

 

The vampire froze and suddenly looked paler. "...Why were you talking about my ex?"

 

Jinyoung shrugged. “The others were talking about him...and how much you liked him and missed him and I can’t live up to that no matter how much I want to because you don’t like me you just like my blood….” the shifter managed to get out in one breath.

 

“Where is this coming from?”

 

His lover had left him shortly after he turned – what good was a lover without drinkable blood? It was true he had kept to himself since then, drinking from the donation centers, never trying to claim a Shifter in fear of what could happen. It was another fact that Jaebum preferred to keep to himself.

 

He closed his eyes and tried to regain his composure. “You seem uninterested or outright repelled by me, or anything that Shifters tend to do. I will not push this matter on you.”

 

“What if I changed my mind?” Jinyoung blurted out.

 

“What if I like the way you make me feel? I feel kind of important now. Kind of...special, not so much of a nothing. I know I’m still a nothing to you but I just wanted you to know…..and maybe I needed a drink to be able to admit that to you,” Jinyoung added, realizing the fact himself at that very moment.

 

He looked down sadly at his boring water. “You can laugh now if you want to. It’s okay.”

Jaebum remained silent for a long time. Beer, he had remembered, made him honest to a fault, to reveal how he really felt. It was the same alcohol-fueled force that propelled Jinyoung, but—

The sound that escaped Jaebum’s lips wasn’t laughter.

“…You wish to be bitten again?”

He vaguely recalled having the same conversation in the past, where he had begged to receive a bite.

“What would you say if I said yes?” Jinyoung asked quietly, running his fingers over the rim of the glass.  “It wasn’t supposed to feel good, no matter what Mark says. It wasn’t supposed to feel….” the Shifter searched for the word. “Right.”

"...But it does," Jaebum echoed quietly. He stepped back to stare out the window into the night. "...I would bite you again, Jinyoung. Despite what you think, I find your blood sweet and intoxicating."

“Yeah, I know you like my blood.” Jinyoung murmured as he looked down at his wrist, tracing the blue-green line of his vein with one finger, much like he had the rim of his glass. “That’s the part of me that is special.”

"There aren't any Shifters - or vampires, for that matter - who would watch the stars with me."

“But the stars are beautiful…”

Jaebum smiled. "Vampires don't tend to be dreamers."

Jinyoung turned his gaze towards the vampire, his eyes flashing gold for an all too brief moment, an echo of what had happened when Jaebum bit him before. “But you weren’t always a vampire…..and you still dream, don’t you?”

Jaebum gestured towards the water, wordlessly urging him to keep drinking. "We don't really sleep, if that's what you're asking - but yes, I still dream."

Jinyoung muttered something about floating away but obediently finished the glass. “What do you dream about?”

"Plenty of things." The vampire kept looking out the window, but was unable to see any stars clearly. "Sometimes about what life would have been like if I had continued to be a Shifter, or if I hadn't been discovered at all - or how my people feel about me."

“At least you knew who your people were...and are.”

"I was lucky," Jaebum acknowledged quietly. "But perhaps you're meeting yours, too. Is that what you dream about?"

Jinyoung shook his head. “No….my dreams are more like nightmares. Everything I thought I was is a lie. I don’t know who I am anymore. I don’t know where I belong.”

The vampire paused. "What do you think would help?"

The Shifter shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe nothing.” He looked up, offering the vampire a slight smile. “You shouldn’t worry, Jaebum-ssi. I will muddle through. I’m kind of used to working things out on my own.”

"I can't quite help with fae matters, but perhaps if you befriend Jongdae...but I'm always here," he offered awkwardly.

“This isn’t about fae matters, whatever those are…” Jinyoung murmured, looking back down at his bare wrist, examining the barely there scar. “It’s about being lonely and alone and unwanted and stupid shit like that. Nothing big to vampires. You don’t have to worry about me, Jaebum. I won’t shirk my duty. You will get the blood you need, I promise you.”

"Vampires feel that too, you know." Despite his best attempts not to, Jaebum's eyes zeroed in on Jinyoung's wrist and the treats within – and how, despite his denial, he _did_  feel something.

Hyuna’s voice seemed to echo in his ears. _Open the door._

“…You aren’t alone, Jinyoung. I can promise you that.”

The gaze Jinyoung offered him as he looked up was uncannily sober in spite of the alcohol in the Shifter’s bloodstream. His heart thudded dully in his chest. “You can be in a crowd of people and still be alone - _and_  lonely.”

Despite his better judgement, Jaebum found himself turning towards him. He reached over the counter and took his hand with a surprising gentleness, not one usually seen in vampires. "You can. But I promise that you aren't alone."

Jinyoung grew still as the other man took his hand, several moments passing before he spoke again. “They were wrong, you know….”

The light tingles he had felt when Jinyoung had touched him were starting again, warm and soft. "...They? About what?"

“When I was growing up they said that vampires were cold. Cold and heartless.” He shook his head. “You aren’t cold at all. And if you aren’t cold…”

"Then.." Jaebum's voice trailed off. "You aren't scared of the Ice Prince?"

“Ice can melt….”

A tiny smile glimmered on Jaebum's face for a moment as he looked at their joined hands. "Perhaps it can. But a large block takes time."

Jinyoung shrugged, his own lips quirking upwards at one corner. “Well, we do have time, right?”

Jaebum chuckled. "All the time in the world, if that's what you'd want."

“Well, I don’t think your life expectancy extends that far to me,” Jinyoung murmured, surprising himself by teasing the vampire.

"Vampire saliva extends that - and once your fae side awakens, you may be stuck with me for a long time."

“Or you could be stuck with me, you know,” Jinyoung retorted. “I’m kind of stubborn, if you haven’t noticed.”

"I'm realizing I'm beginning to like stubborn. It tastes delicious."

Jinyoung’s cheeks grew warm - and not from the alcohol. “Well, I knew I was a tasty snack..”

"I haven't been avoiding you because of the taste, just....well, the embarrassment," Jaebum admitted. Jackson was right - he did have to talk about it.

“You were embarrassed to bite me? I thought that was what you were supposed to do with your Shifter. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, Jaebum.”

"No, after the bite," he explained. "....I believe we were both uncomfortable with that."

“Oh…… _Ohhhhh_ ,” Jinyoung replied as he finally caught what the other was implying. “Um...yeah,” he acknowledged. “I didn’t think something like that was supposed to happen with a wrist bite. I thought I was doing something wrong.”

"No, you didn't do anything wrong. That's...kind of what bites do. I had forgotten how strong they can be, especially if there's a chance that the vampire and Shifter are connected."

“But Mark said that wrist bites were the least sensual,” Jinyoung murmured. “He should know, right? So if I nearly came from just a wrist bite….” his voice trailed off in embarrassment - _and_   curiosity.

"...It would probably mean that we're connected, but the only way to test that out is with more bites." Jaebum looked slightly apologetic.

“Would you want to do that….with me?”

 

The vampire nodded, not needing to think about it. "...But would you want more?"

Jinyoung paused for only a moment before answering. “I think I’d like to try. Maybe the way it felt before was just a one time thing…..and maybe it wasn’t. I want to know.”

"I do too," he admitted. "...And I am a bit hungry."

Jinyoung reached down to roll up his sleeves, Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. “Then dinner is served, Jaebum.”

"Would you like to get more comfortable?" Jaebum invited.

Jinyoung turned to look back at the empty glass in front of him, no longer filled with boring water. “Yeah, might be a good idea,” he murmured, pushing the chair back and rising to his feet.

"Just in case it hurts," Jaebum murmured. "...Although it shouldn't. Lead the way."

He wasn’t quite sure what Jaebum meant by ‘more comfortable’ but Jinyoung led the other from the kitchen and into the place most comfortable for him - the study attached to the vampire’s library. There was a sofa there that had seen far better days and it had become the Shifter’s favorite. He sank down onto the battered plushness, looking up at Jaebum. “Is this okay?”

The vampire sunk down next to him, pleased that Jinyoung had chosen one of his favorite places to curl up and read. "This is perfect. Now just relax, just like last time."

Jinyoung expected the other to bite his wrist again but he took the time to unbutton the top two buttons of his shirt, remembering just how hot the last bite had made him - it was better to be prepared.

"Your neck?" Jaebum's eyes were drawn to the graceful line of skin that he exposed, but still kept his mind on his elegant wrist - Shifters were so hard to bite, especially with so many different places to choose from. "...Perhaps I could take a small amount from your wrist first, to see if that feeling returns..."

“I…..if you want to,” Jinyoung nodded, not sure if he was relieved or disappointed. He understood why Jaebum wouldn’t want to bite his neck…

"But you are already prepared for me...you'll have to come closer, if you want a bite on your neck."

JInyoung froze as he stared at the vampire, as if studying him to determine whether Jaebum was serious.

He was, if the look in his eye was any indication.

_Well, he *did* offer, didn’t he?_

“Okay,” the Shifter said softly, moving closer to the vampire, the collar of his shirt falling open haphazardly. He tilted his head to the side, baring more of the smooth skin of his neck. 

He could hear it again, the steady thrum of Jinyoung’s blood filled his ears. The bite on the neck was classic, written about in novels and glamorized in movies, but nothing, Jaebum knew, came close to the actual bite itself.

“Relax,” he whispered, his fangs grazing lightly over Jinyoung’s delicate neck. “This won’t take too long.”

He knew full well the pleasure it could cause, and even that close, could feel warmth rushing over his cool skin. Warmth and blood - Jinyoung possessed everything that Jaebum craved.  His needle-like fangs pierced Jinyoung’s skin, and the first few drops that spilled out were so rich that they could have easily filled any other vampire.

Jaebum craved far more.

 

_It’s going to feel just like the bite on the wrist,_  Jinyoung thought to himself as he felt the vampire’s breath on his neck (he knew vampires didn’t need to breath but he appreciated that attempt at normalcy and almost whispered a thank you for the consideration that Jaebum had offered to him. _There isn’t going to be anything different._

Oh how wrong he was….

The moment he felt the vampire’s fangs pierce his neck a bolt of white hot pleasure surged through him, the sensation he got from wrist bite before a mere whisper compared to what he was feeling now. The moan that escaped his lips was surprisingly low and needy, his fingers reaching up to blindly thread through Jaebum’s hair.

Biting a neck was delicate, precise work, and Jaebum found it hard to keep his fangs steady. How could he, when his Shifter was as greedy as he was?

This blood tasted far richer than from Jinyoung’s wrist, and Jaebum quickly grew to understand why vampires preferred the neck bite. The warmth that he had felt under Jinyoung’s skin had slowly taken over his body, and –

_Fuck, not now!_  Jinyoung’s demanding moans and whimpers, the hands that slid through his hair and held him in place, needing more touches, more licks –

He could feel his cock begin to stir.

Jinyoung was beyond the ‘cock stirring’ stage, his erection present without a doubt and pressed firmly against his trousers, his blood tart and sweet and thick beneath Jaebum’s tongue. He learned quickly that holding back his moans was futile, the sounds as readily coming as his blood was to the bite.

It was as if something had been released in the young Shifter, an awakening of sorts. Blood was a sign of life and the brief flashes of gold in his eyes metamorphosed into a vibrant green the brief moments his eyes were open.

Yes, it was an Awakening.

_Too much, slow down,_  Jaebum reluctantly reminded himself.

He couldn’t see, but he could _sense_  the changes in Jinyoung’s body, the Shifts, his old family had called it. Something old and powerful lurked within his deceptive human form – no, Jinyoung was no human hybrid.

He withdrew his fangs, his tongue grazing longer than usual to soothe the slight sting that a bite always left behind. Just what had he gotten himself into – and why did Jaebum feel a strong need to protect him?

Even the light caress of Jaebum’s tongue sent tingles of pleasure along Jinyoung’s skin. “More….please,” he whimpered, blindly pulling the vampire closer.

"It's dangerous, I can't take any more of your blood right now," Jaebum whispered apologetically. "I don't wish to Turn you."

“Can you kiss me? I know you don’t want to….” the Shifter acknowledged, slowly pulling away. “I….I shouldn’t have asked. I’m sorry….”

The vampire looked quietly at his Shifter. "...I would taste like your blood."

“I’m sorry…..so sorry….” Jinyoung repeated again, curling into himself. He didn’t understand what was happening.

"..But that doesn't mean that I don't want to be around you, Jinyoung." _My house_ , he repeated in his head, an echo of his Shifter coming home. _My study, my books._

 

_My Jinyoung_.

“I want too much….” Jinyoung whispered, trying to keep his body from touching the vampire’s, even as aroused as he still was. “Isn’t fair to you.”

_Too much – so he has been talking to Jongdae._

“…What would you say is too much?”

Jinyoung was silent for several long moments, holding himself perfectly still to avoid grinding up against the vampire. He knew Jaebum would hate that. “I want to not be alone anymore. I want someone to want  _me_...

….the way I want you.” The last words were barely heard as the Shifter turned away, ashamed. He had gone from hating being trapped by a vampire to wanting him in ways he hadn’t realized, all because of a bite.

He was the one who was a monster, not Jaebum.

Months ago, Park Jinyoung had hated the bloodsuckers with an undying passion – and most of all, he had hated Im Jaebum.

The same Park Jinyoung was now curled up on Jaebum’s favorite couch, and while Jaebum could no longer see his eyes, he could imagine them, glittering with terror as he whispered out his secret.

_I remember. I remember the same thing…and I regretted my decision._

“Come here,” he whispered, extending a shaky hand despite his normal restraint. “You are not to be alone tonight.”

The Shifter shook his head. “I can’t ask you to do that, Jaebum-ssi. It’s selfish of me. I’ll just go back to my room and…..deal with things.”

Deal with ‘things’....and be alone once more. The thought of it made him feel even more hollow.

Jaebum's elegant hand remained extended. "I insist...and I rarely insist."

Jinyoung looked up at the other briefly. “I get it...it’s so you can laugh at me, right? I suppose it is pretty funny for you to see me like this, to see me need you when before I wouldn’t let you get close. I guess I deserve it…”

"No, I need to truly become your patron." _Just see where it goes_ , Jackson had told him. "Come with me. This is no laughing matter."

Reluctantly Jinyoung placed his hand in the vampire’s and allowed Jaebum to pull him up, his legs barely keeping him upright and his erection still straining in his jeans. He used his free hand to make sure he was covered - he didn’t want Jaebum seeing what had happened.

"I know you're hard," Jaebum answered the unspoken question. "You shouldn't worry about that." He pushed open the door connecting the study to his room - the one room that Jinyoung hadn't been allowed to explore. Once Jaebum had lit a few candles - he had always preferred them to electric lighting - the rich cherrywood furniture seemed to glow in the soft light, reflecting in the picture window, where the curtains had been pushed open to show the stars.

Jinyoung stumbled at the other’s words. “Easy for you to say,” he muttered weakly, hesitating when the other led him to his personal suite. He couldn’t help but gaze out the window, the stars catching his attention. However, he soon remembered where he was, although he wasn’t sure _why_  he was there.

"At this time in the season, this room has the best view of Aquila." Jaebum sat on the edge of his bed, looking out into the night. "It's one of my favorites."

Jinyoung brushed tears he hadn’t even realized he had shed away from his eyes as he leaned against the window pane, looking anywhere but at Jaebum. “Can I go back to my room, Jaebum-ssi….please? It will let you look at that beautiful view without me interrupting it.”

"Come here, I'll point it out to you," he invited. "...If you'd like to enjoy this view."

What he wanted to do was wallow in his own misery (and get rid of the pressure on his cock) but Jinyoung didn’t want to say that out loud. Instead he tentatively approached the vampire and sat at the edge of the bed, as far away as he could get from Jaebum.

"Closer. You won't be able to see it from back there."

_He really wants to torture me...I guess I deserve it._  The Shifter moved closer but still left space between himself and Jaebum. “What view?”

"Aquila." Jaebum pointed out each star, tracing out the angular shape. "The celestial eagle, said to carry Zeus's thunderbolts."

Jinyoung followed the other’s finger, eyes tracing out the imaginary pattern in the stars, for a moment his physical discomfort receding to the background. “I see it.”

"I've always found it to be one of my favorites, but I can't quite determine why." Jaebum's hand carefully crept over Jinyoung's lap, only reaching to tug down his zipper and then retreat. "Perhaps because of Altair being so bright."

“I never really had a chance to have a favorite. It’s difficult to see the stars in the city. I considered myself fortunate if I could see the North Star.” 

"There was a time when I was in France, in late spring," Jaebum recalled fondly as he lit another candle. "I had found myself in a limestone cropping, and stayed there all night as it had the most beautiful view of the stars - and then I woke up in the morning and found myself surrounded by cry violets. They're still my favorite flower, even though they've been extinct for centuries now."

“I’ve never heard of them,” the Shifter admitted, relaxing just a fraction. “They sound nice though. I saw a couple flowers when I went out into the country with my father when I was small. I think he said that camellias can grow in polluted areas.”

"There are so many I miss, due to the pollution and the vampires." Jaebum looked wistful. "Middlemist Red, Fire Lily, Ghost Orchid..."

“Things I can only read about in books or on holovids,” Jinyoung murmured.

"I believed them, for the longest time, to be the only true sources of beauty in the world." The vampire slowly turned to look at Jinyoung's profile, eerily silhouetted by the candlelight. "I believe I was incorrect."

“It’s hard to find anything beautiful anymore,” Jinyoung replied. “My father used to say that beauty was what you made of it. I think he was too optimistic.”

Jaebum's shoulders sagged imperceptibly - Jackson's advice wasn't working. "Then what do you find beautiful?"

“I really don’t know,” Jinyoung admitted. “The stars on a clear night like tonight, the smile of a child, unexpected kindness….I know it all sounds stupid.”

"To me...that sounds lovely."

A slight smile touched the Shifter’s lips and he looked down at his hands...and noticed that his zipper was undone. “Oh…”

"I do understand that discomfort," Jaebum explained quietly. "And figured you were too embarrassed to alleviate yourself."

“I’m so sorry,” Jinyoung mumbled, the candlelight barely hiding his blush. “You must think I’m so foolish. I’ve ruined your whole evening.”

"My evening of reading and moping?" Jaebum looked surprised. "I feel I've ruined yours."

“Not really….I was kind of buzzed from the alcohol at Hakyeon’s.” He reached up to touch his neck. “Now I’m kind of buzzed for another reason,” the younger man admitted.

Jaebum's cool fingers gently touched the new scar on Jinyoung's neck.  "But you did want this."

Jinyoung’s breath caught as the vampire’s fingers glided over the freshly healed wound. He nodded, swallowing as he turned to look up at Jaebum.

"And...you also wish more from me?" The usually composed vampire suddenly stumbled over his words.

“You aren’t going to like the answer,” Jinyoung whispered.

"I simply am unaware of what you expect."

Jaebum was so detached, so calm…..Jinyoung looked away, reaching up to brush away the tears that threatened to spill once more. “I want more but you don’t….and that’s something I will have to live with, alright?”

"And what do you wish me to do?" Jaebum's trembling fingers on Jinyoung's neck betrayed far more than his cool voice did.

Jinyoung reached over to take Jaebum’s wrist. “I want you to not be afraid to touch me. I know that making love to me is out of the question for you but you don’t have to be afraid of me. I’m only what I am.”

"Hakyeon and Jongdae have been filling your head with stories about my former patron." Jaebum's wrist remained within Jinyoung's grasp, not jerking away.

“So I’m not allowed to have my own feelings? Yes, they told me about him - was it wrong?” Jinyoung gently released the vampire’s wrist, his own shoulders sagging. “I’m sorry,” he said again, slowly getting to his feet.

"If they told you that he left after he turned me, that is correct. If they told you that it took me quite a while to cope with the betrayal, yes, that was also correct. However, if they tried to tie that into the reason why I do not attend vampire orgies or have a lover...then that is incorrect."

“It is none of my business,” the Shifter said quietly. “Forgive me for any assumptions I may have made.”

"I keep to myself as I did not find it right to impose on anyone else." Jaebum's eyes turned back towards the stars. "I wanted a Shifter whose blood tasted exquisite...and who enjoyed stargazing."

Jinyoung walked to the window, resting one hand on the cool glass as he looked outside. “And you are stuck with me instead. I understand.”

"Do you not enjoy stargazing, Jinyoung?"

“I haven’t had much time to gaze, Jaebum. I’ve only just begun to see them.”

"But since you've enjoyed what you've seen so far, you meet both my requirements."

The Shifter swallowed, closing his eyes for a moment and resting his forehead against the glass. “So you are guaranteed a tasty dinner and a stargazing companion….”

"A vampire cannot connect with a Shifter whose blood they do not find to be so delicious that it makes all others taste bland in comparison. Jackson reminded me of this."

“Jackson and Mark are perfect for each other, Jaebum….even I can see that.”

"Well, he was right." Jaebum lit another candle, this one cinnamon-scented. "I haven't felt properly fed for weeks now."

Guilt crossed Jinyoung’s face. “But I have given my blood….wasn’t it enough?”

"It was...until I fed from your wrist and experienced the best meal I had until tonight."

Jinyoung looked over his shoulder in surprise. “What?”

"Vampires attune to blood from one specific Shifter - and I believe I have grown addicted to your taste." Jaebum tried to busy himself lighting candles as a distraction.

The Shifter tried to process the information Jaebum had given him. “So you said feeding from my wrist was the best meal you ever had….until tonight. What happened tonight?”

"I fed from your neck."

Jinyoung scowled, the expression strangely endearing. “I know that. In case you forgot, I was there too. I mean, what did you feel? Why was it so different from when you bit my wrist?”

Jaebum started to speak, then suddenly shook his head. Words weren't getting through to him, and he could feel something rising in his body that he hadn't felt in centuries - impulsiveness.

“Fuck it.”

He swiftly closed the space between them and kissed Jinyoung firmly, before he could chicken out.


	9. Awakening

Jinyoung froze, stiffening in surprise as Jaebum pulled him closer. Then as the kiss deepened he sagged in the vampire’s arms, lips returning the firm pressure as he reached up once more to run fingers through Jaebum’s hair, a soft moan of pleasure muffled by the kiss.

 

Jaebum suddenly pulled away, his eyes wild both with desire and confusion that Jinyoung actually _wanted_ something from him. "Do you still have to ask?"

 

“Just kiss me, you stubborn vampire,” Jinyoung nearly growled, pulling the taller man back to him again.

 

Jaebum's centuries of loneliness and frustration spoke overwhelmingly in his kisses. As a vampire, he had never felt this kind of warmth, the kind that made him feel alive. He only broke the kisses again to zero in on his neck, lavishing extra kisses and licks on his newly formed bite scar.

 

The Shifter gasped as the sensitive skin surrounding the bite was teased and tormented, his legs going weak as he whimpered.

 

"Your bite areas become more sensitive with each bite," Jaebum murmured into his skin - not that Jinyoung seemed to have a problem with that. He helped ease the young man onto the bed and followed him in, unable to resist the lips he had been eyeing for months.

 

“So I’m going to feel it even more when you bite me on the neck again?” Jinyoung asked through ragged breaths as he reached up to unbutton the vampire’s shirt.

 

"Far more," he confirmed. "You'll see some Shifters having to be quite careful when it comes to what they put on their necks." He helped make quick work of his shirt in between kisses, the candles making his normally pale skin nearly glow.

 

“And my wrist too?” Jinyoung asked, shyly taking in the other’s bare chest in appreciation. Jaebum really _was_   beautiful.

 

"And your wrist...possibly your thigh, should you want things to go that far." Jaebum paused, trying to read Jinyoung's face. "...Am I unpleasant to look at?"

 

Jinyoung’s eyes snapped up to meet Jaebum’s and he shook his head. “No, not at all….I’m sure you know you are beautiful. It kind of takes my breath away,” he admitted.

 

"I wouldn't know, it's been centuries since I've really thought about it." Jaebum's long fingers toyed with Jinyoung's shirt, almost languidly unbuttoning it the rest of the way down.

 

“Well, you are,” Jinyoung reassured the other, his own shirt laying open before he even realized it had happened. His trousers were already unbuttoned and unzipped thanks to Jaebum’s efforts earlier.

 

"So are you." Jaebum removed Jinyoung's shirt with extreme care, as if his touch could rip it apart. "You haven't done this before, have you?"

 

“Get kissed by a vampire? Not since the last time,” Jinyoung joked weakly, purposely misunderstanding.

 

"Then good, Jackson hasn't overstepped his boundaries," Jaebum chuckled. "Your blood does taste virginal."

 

Jinyoung frowned - some might even say pouted - his face flushed as he looked up at Jaebum. “What do you mean by that?”

 

"I mean that your blood paints a lovely picture for me - and as we vampires are very attuned to sex, we can tell. Am I right?"

 

Jinyoung looked up at the ceiling, avoiding Jaebum’s eyes. “Why does it matter?” he murmured, embarrassed.

 

"Because it helps me figure out what you need." Jaebum traced a line down Jinyoung's stomach. "How far have you gotten?"

 

“I’ve played around,” Jinyoung mumbled, his abdominal wall muscles tensing beneath Jaebum’s touch. “I’ve given head…”

 

"Gotten any back?" Jaebum decided that Jinyoung looked far too tempting in the candlelight and leaned over to lightly tease his nipples with his skilled tongue.

 

The Shifter hissed softly as his body responded to the teasing, nipples growing taught and making him even harder. “Once….I made her stop because I could tell she didn’t like it.”

 

Jaebum smirked. "Vampires are _very_   skilled in sucking."

 

Jinyoung rolled his eyes even as he tried not to squirm. “You really are a pervert, aren’t you? You look all dignified and everything but…”

 

Jaebum's tongue stopped circling Jinyoung's nipples, and the vampire straightened up with a smirk. "Well, if you'd rather not..."

 

“...I didn’t say that.’ Jinyoung replied without hesitation, reaching out for the vampire.

 

Jaebum didn't resist, joining the younger man back in his bed. "But you didn't actually have sex with this girl...or this boy."

 

The younger man shook his head. “Not if you mean….um….penetration.” His voice lowered as he said the last word, as if it was a secret. Of course, he knew it wasn't normal to be nearly 20 and still a virgin but he never said he wasn't weird.

 

"That's what I mean." Jaebum's fingers reached the waistband of Jinyoung's pants, and he idly tugged them down. "And you're sure you don't want a human first?"

 

Jinyoung lifted his hips on instinct, indirectly aiding the vampire’s actions and he was grateful that Jaebum had lit so many candles - the ambient air was a bit cool against his bare skin. “I’m not a human anymore...not really, from what everyone is telling me. I’m also not really interested in anyone else.”

 

"Instead interested in a vampire," Jaebum hummed as he looked admiringly over his newly bared skin. "Because should I bite your thigh, well...that means a permanent connection.”

 

The Shifter’s eyes widened, his inner thigh muscles twitching as if the _knew_. “You would want that….with me?”

 

Jaebum lightly rubbed the exact spot, which remained covered. "If you would have me."

 

“It means you would be stuck with me for a long time,” Jinyoung warned the vampire, boxers more than obviously tented and his breathing growing more ragged than he expected.

 

"We're stuck together for a long time anyway," Jaebum pointed out, Jinyoung's boxers proving to be no match for his questing fingers. "I would much rather have an enjoyable partnership."

 

Now bared completely to the vampire Jinyoung felt vulnerable and exposed in more ways than one. “Just answer me one thing, Jaebum.” The Shifter paused, his eyes - now their normally warm brown hue - meeting and holding the vampire’s. 

 

“Do you want me…..for me?” He knew the other would understand what he meant. Could someone as worldly as Im Jaebum, centuries old and wise to the world, both past and present, want him - Park Jinyoung, orphan Shifter without a pedigree or a real purpose to his life.

 

For a while, Jaebum didn’t answer. No, he took his time removing what remained of his clothing and placing it as far away as he could from the candles – the last thing that they needed was a fire.

 

He waited until he was just as exposed and vulnerable, then easily slid down next to Jinyoung, finally meeting his eyes again.

 

“I do not look for high breeding or a Shifter family line,” he said quietly. “I was taken, and I don’t want you to have the same experience that I did – only selected due to blood quality and type. I am far more fascinated by _you_ ,  Jinyoung, than your Shifter qualifications.”

 

He paused.

 

“…But your blood is exquisite, too.”

 

Jinyoung offered a wry grin. “I may be a mutt but at least I’m a tasty one.” His grin faded, his look softening as he reached up to cup Jaebum’s cheek. “I hope I don’t disappoint you. I’m kind of new to all of this. I never imagined I’d be here….I never thought standing in line one more time would lead to this.”

 

"Would you prefer to be standing in line?" Jaebum nuzzled into Jinyoung's hand, absorbing his warmth.

 

The younger man shook his head. “No. I want to be here….”

 

The Shifter leaned closer, shyly brushing his lips against Jaebum’s before pulling back.

 

“With you.”

 

Jaebum offered one of his rare, real smiles. "...And I have a feeling that right now, you want more than that."

 

“Is that a bad thing, Jaebum?” Jinyoung asked softly.

 

Jaebum took Jinyoung's hand and pressed it to his lips. "I am not complaining."

 

“I’m still going to be stubborn and I’m still going to argue with you,” Jinyoung warned.

 

Jaebum shuddered. "A pliant and submissive Shifter is my worst nightmare."

 

“Even when you don’t like what I have to say?”

 

Jaebum tapped his fingers against Jinyoung's hip. "Have something to say that I don't like right now?"

 

“I kinda don’t want to talk right now,” Jinyoung said in a low voice, his fingers moving to caress Jaebum’s.

 

"Yes you do...you just prefer words like 'more' and 'don't stop." Jaebum's free hand slid further downwards, grasping Jinyoung's neglected cock. "And perhaps 'fuck me harder'."

 

Jinyoung’s erection had softened a bit during the conversation but one touch from Jaebum’s hand had him hardening once more, a soft moan escaping in spite of any attempt made to hide it.

 

"Stop that," Jaebum scolded softly and kissed his ear. "I want to hear all your moans - there's no shame in that." His strokes were languid and thorough, Jaebum clearly interested in exploring his Shifter.

 

Jinyoung sank back onto the bed, his moans unobstructed as his body responded to the teasing yet thorough touches, each one bringing him closer to the edge.

 

Some distance away Jongdae had been talking to another Shifter when he grew still, his eyes losing focus. “Something’s happening,” the Sidhe said softly to himself.

 

Jaebum blindly pulled Jinyoung closer, his cock pressing flush against the younger man’s back. He would bide his time, he decided, teasing Jinyoung and reminding him of pleasures to come was far more fun than demanding his own release.

 

“I know you can feel that,” he whispered into the Shifter’s ear, “and I know how much you want to feel that inside you.”

 

“Sehyoon, sorry,” Hakyeon apologized. He could always tell when something was bothering his oldest friend, but he hadn’t seen _that_   look, not for a long time. “Jongie? What’s wrong?”

 

Jinyoung shuddered, his head resting back against Jaebum’s shoulder as his hips shifted forward to meet those knowing fingers.

 

Sehyoon nodded, looking at the Sidhe curiously as he stepped aside, seeking out other Shifters. Jongdae let Hakyeon pull him to the side before he spoke. “Something is happening,” he repeated. “Something having to do with Jinyoung. I can feel it…”

 

"Talk to me," Hakyeon urged quietly. "Good or bad?"

 

“His Awakening...it’s soon,” the Sidhe replied, meeting Hakyeon’s eyes with a slowly forming smile.

 

Hakyeon sighed, relieved. "You had me thinking the poor kid was in danger."

 

Jongdae chuckled. “Not in that kind of danger…”

 

"Sooo...my plan's working?" Hakyeon grinned. "And if you're feeling that, he's got to be fae."

 

“He’s always been Fae,” Jongdae reassured his friend. “It’s just what type...I think we will know by morning.”

 

Hakyeon whistled. "Stakeout? Your place is closer - and Taek texted me, he's not going to be home for ages."

 

The Sidhe arched an eyebrow. “Don’t you think we should give them some privacy? Remember what your first night with Taekwoon was like? We can find out what happened in the morning - if I can’t figure it out on my own.”

 

The were sighed in frustration. "And if he's ever home to fuck me again, I wouldn't be looking for a stakeout. Council sucks."

 

“There are definitely perks to having a younger vampire as a patron,” Jongdae hummed, pulling the other Shifter in for a hug. “Just make sure Taekwoonie pays you back. Jonginnie is great at make up sex.”

 

"Jaebum's older," Hakyeon pointed out, suddenly remembering. "...Fuck, if he joins Council, poor Jinyoung's gonna be in the same situation I'm in."

 

“It’s possible,” Jongdae agreed. “No guarantee he’s going to accept the position though. He’s never liked politics.”

 

“I guess,” Hakyeon reluctantly agreed. “Fuck, I just want a Shifter buddy who isn’t an asshole who’s bound to a Council vampire. Asking too much, I guess.”

 

Politics were absolutely the last thing on Jaebum’s mind, the vampire making a soft hissing noise as he continued to stroke the younger man, his pace quickening. “Come for me,” he whispered. “Show me how much you want it.”

Jinyoung writhed against the vampire behind him, moans and whimpers growing in intensity. At Jaebum’s command his eyelids snapped opened and he came with a cry, coating the vampire’s fingers and his own abdomen with cum.

 

"Feels better than just you, doesn't it?" Jaebum chuckled and gently nipped his ear again, teasing it with his fangs.

 

“Oh, yes,” Jinyoung agreed, sagging back against the vampire, feeling the other’s length prodding against his back.

 

"I suppose you need to rest for a moment - I did, when I was human."

 

“You can….do something if you want,” Jinyoung reassured the other. “I just need a little time…”

 

"The only thing I feel like doing is prepping you," Jaebum murmured. "I told you, it's far more fun with a partner."

 

“Just….go slow, please,” the Shifter replied, leaning back to kiss the vampire.

 

"Promise," Jaebum murmured, easily returning kisses while he blindly searched his nightstand for his lube, swiped from Jackson one night after being annoyed by his sex chatter.

 

Jinyoung whined softly when Jaebum turned away to get the lube, missing the other’s close proximity no matter how nervous he was. Something told him he needed this….he needed Jaebum.

  
  


"I'm right here, not going anywhere without you," Jaebum promised. He quickly fished the lube out of his nightstand and coated one of his fingers while still murmuring soothingly. "I won't be able to, not when we're connected." He squeezed Jinyoung's plump rear and slowly teased his finger deeper, each movement calculated.

 

It hurt at first but Jinyoung lost himself to the vampire’s kisses, the pain fading and his body growing accustomed to the invasion - first one digit, then two….

 

"Might be easier if you're on top of me," the vampire murmured between kisses. "After all...I do want to see your wings burst forth."

 

“I’m not going to have wings,” Jinyoung said with a breathless laugh. Still, he shifted until he was hovering over Jaebum’s impressive erection.

 

"Hold on to me," Jaebum encouraged, his hands reaching forth to grasp Jinyoung's hips. "Nice and slow, we don't have to rush."

 

Jinyoung nodded, slowly lowering himself with Jaebum’s guidance, the other man’s hands firmly on his hips.

 

In a moment, it finally hit - _warmth_.

 

Beyond anything else – the sudden tightness around his cock, the little hisses and whimpers that came from Jinyoung, the strong grip that he kept on his hips –

 

There was warmth, and Jaebum suddenly understood just why his kind constantly craved sex.

 

“Easy, worry about yourself,” he coached. “It’s already good.”

 

Slowly Jinyoung felt himself being filled, the discomfort at first taking some getting used to. It was Jaebum’s soft, encouraging voice that eased the pain just as much as his body’s stretch. He clung to the vampire’s arms as he sunk down with a soft hiss, finally bottoming out. “So full,” he whispered.

 

"Are you in pain?" Jaebum asked, his voice low as if the candles could overhear him.

 

“I’m okay..just feels different. I expected it to hurt more,” Jinyoung admitted.

 

"I didn't expect this kind of warmth...or hell, you in my bed."

 

Jinyoung looked down at the vampire, shifting slightly. “Are you disappointed?”

  
  


Jaebum offered a smile. "Only that I didn't try this sooner."

 

The Shifter erupted in a surprised laugh as experimentally tried shifting his hips to lift himself off the other’s length before settling back, his moan deep and sweet.

 

Another emotion welled up in Jaebum - arousal, desire, the urge to hold on and help with his own thrusts -just to hear that moan, over and over again. "More," he breathed out. "Fuck, that's nice."

 

Encouraged, Jinyoung repeated the action, his own body shaking with the effort to slow the pace, no matter how eager he had become for touch - Jaebum’s touch.

 

Jaebum blindly applied more lube before grabbing Jinyoung again. His moans seemed to reverberate through his entire body - and Jinyoung's efforts to slow his eagerness only served to make him more desirable. "Faster," he commanded, his smile becoming a smirk. "I see you trying to hold back."

 

_He knew…._ Jinyoung held back for only a moment longer then sank down hard, bucking his hips as he gave in to desire - and to those smirking lips. Moans were no longer restrained, his need to _feel_   taking over.

 

He was so hard that he ached for release, but held himself back by gritting his teeth between moans - the more Jinyoung rode him, wild and free, the more Jaebum only wanted to please him. _A vampire at a Shifter's mercy...odd indeed._

 

“I don’t want you to hold back either,” Jinyoung growled, sweat beading on his forehead and rolling down his temples. 

 

"You asked, pretty fae," Jaebum hissed, his hands suddenly pushing Jinyoung down to bury his cock to the hilt. His release came in deep shudders and moans that hadn't been heard in centuries, and still he held the fae there, keeping him close.

 

Jinyoung groaned, clinging to the vampire as Jaebum came, the long length of his neck bared to the other man.

 

He hadn't taken too much, Jaebum remembered in his haze - and sex, as Jackson loved to tell him, had a replenishing effect on Shifters. Without even thinking, Jaebum found his teeth again sinking into Jinyoung's neck, another moan erupting as he savored the taste.

 

That was all it took to take Jinyoung over the edge once more, his body tightening around Jaebum as his eyes flashed once more, green overtaking gold. He didn’t realize it now but the very action that he and the vampire - <i>his</i> vampire - shared awakened something long sleeping in the Shifter.

 

Awakened…..and  _Awakened_

 

He was careful not to take much (but Jackson was _definitely_ right about better-tasting blood post-orgasm). He detached himself from Jinyoung's neck with a few gentle licks - and when Jaebum looked at his Shifter, some of his change was present.

“Your eyes,” Jaebum murmured, reaching up to push sweaty hair away from Jinyoung’s face. “I never thought I’d like green so much.”

“Green?” Jinyoung echoed in confusion, a yawn interrupting his thoughts. “Sleepy,” he added, barely above a mumble. He was just so _tired_....

"Your eyes are green," Jaebum clarified, but helped him down instead of taking him to the nearest mirror. "Get some rest, Jiyoung. I'll be right here."

The Shifter hummed, curling against Jaebum as he felt his limbs grow heavy. “Why am I so tired?” he managed to get out before sleep overtook him.

"Because you're changing," Jaebum whispered as he gazed at the sleeping Shifter in his arms. "So am I."

“It’s done,” Jongdae murmured as he let out a deep breath. “I don’t know what Jinyoungie has become but we will likely find out in the morning.”

"Jaebum has your number, right?" Hakyeon asked.

“Yeah,” the Sidhe said with a nod. “I made sure Jongin gave it to him.”

Hakyeon smiled. "I'm happy for you - and also jealous. Markie-poo's the last were we've had for a while."

“And there are ten times as many weres as there are Fae,” Jongdae reminded him. “So many Clans have disappeared. I know he isn’t Sidhe - I would have sensed it the moment I met him - but I can’t tell what he is. The kid is an enigma.”

"A pretty cute enigma." Hakyeon grinned. "Too bad Jaebum seems like the possessive type."

“Your Taekwoon is too, if you don’t remember. I’d be careful if I were you.”

"Taekwoon is going to be getting the pissed-off wolf treatment when he comes home - I figure they'll have to break at some point to feed."

“I can’t say enough how happy I am that my patron is a baby vampire,” Jongdae replied.

"And he's cute, too...and you have a lot fewer restrictions. I'm really worried for Jinyoung."

“Jaebum still hasn’t accepted the Council position. We will have to see. Now we just have to wait for the morning.”

"Yeah..." Hakyeon sighed and glanced at his watch. "I suppose you've got to go home and rest up."

“And so do you. Don’t worry - he’ll be home soon.”

 

Jaebum’s tranced state was normally quiet – vampires had no need to sleep or dream, but somehow light and smells had crept into his subconscious.  He had dreamt of walking through a garden with Jinyoung at his side, and while he didn’t quite know or understand why so many plants that he knew grew in drastically different climates were in a garden together, the scents, the colors, and Jinyoung’s hand securely held in his made for a peaceful dream.

Until he opened his eyes, stretched – and saw that his bedroom had become a veritable greenhouse.

Camellias of every color, from brilliant white to a dusty blush, filled the room, their green foliage as vivid as the newly turned eyes of the Shifter who still slept beside him. Their fragrance was delicate and sweet, pleasant in itself. However, the scent was hidden beneath that of a flower long gone in this world of technology and shadows, long gone from even before that, alive only in Im Jaebum’s memory.

Until now.

The cry violet.

  
  


“It can’t—“ Jaebum stopped himself from speaking too loudly, not wanting to disturb Jinyoung’s sleep.

His eyes zeroed in on the tiny flowers, with their petals colored the most vivid violet he had ever seen – the ones from France, from his days as a young vampire.

“Cry violet,” he confirmed, gently touching the petals when it suddenly clicked in his head. “….He’s…a dryad?”

“Dryad….” Jongdae startled awake, his vampire curled around him as he felt the tang of newly Awakened magic, of a kind they hadn’t seen in centuries. It was a fresh aura, vibrant and clean - so unlike the world that now surrounded them, vampire and Shifter and human alike. “He’s a dryad….I’ll be damned.”

"Care to fill me in?" Jongin mumbled, the vampire still half-tranced.

“Jaebum’s baby Shifter is very, very special, Jonginnie. I didn’t think dryads even existed any more.”

"An actual dryad...are you sure?" Jongin was suddenly awake and sat up quickly. "Are you going to go over there?"

‘Yeah, I’m sure. You know I can tell,” Jongdae replied. “I’ll go over there this afternoon. I’m sure Jinyoung is exhausted. Sex and Awakenings both take a lot out of you.”

"Good. Baby Jinyoung here is going to need a fae friend - and you're the best one I know."

The Sidhe’s usual impish grin was softened as he turned to Jongin. “Love you too, Jonginnie.”

He knew little about Awakenings, but what Jaebum did know was that Jinyoung desperately needed sleep, and he desperately needed advice. A tiny bit of his magic ensured that his dryad would continue to have the deep rest he needed, enough that he’d still be asleep while Jaebum slipped out.

That was how he found himself on Jackson’s weedy property, timidly knocking on the door instead of letting himself in, like he always would.

The other vampire came to the door and opened it, his gaze barely focused and suffering from a major case of bedhead. No, Jackson didn’t have to sleep but he actually <i>enjoyed</i> dozing with his Shifter, the were’s high metabolism making him like a heated blanket for the vampire. “Jaebum?” he murmured when he saw his best friend.

"How do you protect a Shifter?" Jaebum was never one for formalities, from greetings to fashion (even though he had to admit to himself he had never seen Jackson that disheveled).

“Why do you ask?” Jackson asked, much more awake than he had been before. 

"....I may have slept with Jinyoung."

“Are we talking _slept_   slept with Jinyoung or _I did lots of fun things and none of them was sleeping_   slept with Jinyoung?” the other vampire asked, holding back a smile.

Jaebum paused. "...Both. Does both count?"

Jackson couldn’t help but grin at the other’s response. “Oh, it sure does. Did you enjoy it? Did he? Details, please,” he continued, ushering Jaebum into the kitchen. “Coffee or wine? Or would you prefer a vintage Type A negative? Just got a new shipment in.”

"Just coffee, you know how I feel about bottled blood first thing in the morning." Jaebum sank into one of the comfortable armchairs, still bewildered. "I'm not sure what happened. He came home from that party and was adamant that I bite his neck, so I did...and next thing I know, we're in bed together."

Jackson put on a pot - he was insistent on brewing coffee from scratch instead of using any of the more advanced coffee machines. “Hmm...sounds to me like you were made for each other. It happens. Believe me, I know.”

"About that..." Jaebum shifted uncomfortably. "...I'm sorry that I was rude about you and Mark. I think I'm starting to understand now."

Jackson looked over his shoulder, offering his friend a smile and a nod. “It’s okay, I didn’t understand what it meant to have a Shifter until I met Mark. It changes everything.”

Jaebum gave one of his rare smiles. "And to answer your question about details...it was _good_."

“I knew it!” Jackson said with a grin. “And it only gets better, you know.”

"Not for a while, he's sleeping through his Awakening," Jaebum cautioned. "I woke up with a bedroom full of camellias and cry violet."

Jackson nearly dropped the freshly brewed coffee he was bringing to the table at Jaebum’s comment, surprise evident on his face. “He’s a dryad? I’ve never seen one of those…”

Jaebum helped set the pot down before pouring himself a mug. "He's definitely a dryad, and I know he was still going through the Awakening when I left. I've given him a bit of sleep magic, he needs it."

“Good idea,” the younger vampire replied. “Wow, I still can’t believe it….a dryad. You definitely got an interesting Shifter, Jae…” He poured his own cup of coffee and added a liberal spoonful of sugar. “So you want to know how to protect him. Answer is simple, you know. You keep them close but don’t hover. Let him be himself but also let him know that he is wanted and that no question is a stupid one. Just be there.”

"So basically, not be part of the Council." Jaebum sipped at his coffee, preferring it strong and bitter. "I feel terrible for those Shifters - but I also understand the concern." He smiled. "I suppose I should also not show up at his workplace several times a week and call him Jinnie-poo."

Jackson chuckled. “Unless you want to be in the proverbial doghouse I wouldn’t recommend it. Mark humors me because we have known each other for years. Jinyoung seems like a more sensitive soul.”

"He's quite the dreamer, I've feel like I've known him forever..." Jaebum seemed to stare off into space. "...Fuck. I might be falling in love."

The other’s words made Jackson do a double take. “Are you sure? It isn’t like you to fall so quickly, my friend. He’s special, I’ll grant you that…”

"That's what's confusing me," he admitted. "It's been centuries, you know that, I don't fall for the first person I see. But he fell asleep on me -- and I always see that as trust."

The other vampire nodded. “Yeah, I can see that...and I don’t think Jinyoung trusts easily - and definitely not those of our kind.”

"But we'll see." Jaebum took another sip of his coffee. "It could just be the blood and the release talking. I haven't bit his thigh yet."

“True…..and if what you felt from the neck bit was _this_ strong for both of you, just imagine what it will feel like when you bite his thigh, hmm?”

"Was it that strong for you and Mark?"

The grin was back. “It was quite an experience and I don’t think we had as close a connection as you and Jinyoung seem to have.”

"Mark has said that's your preferred place to bite..."

“He does, does he? Well, he has no complaints…”

"Yes I do," mumbled Mark's voice as he padded towards the two vampires. The were was shirtless, flannels slung low on his hips and his bedhead wild. "I'm too warm."

“Well, that tends to happen with that werewolf blood of yours, gorgeous,” Jackson replied. “You could always get naked, you know.”

Mark proceeded to drape himself over Jackson, ignoring his suggestions in favor of finding someone cooler. "Muuuuch better."

Jaebum hid a smile. "Is this part of protecting a Shifter?"

Jackson tried to look put out but it was difficult with the pleased smile that spread across his face as the were pulled him closer. “Yes. Expect lots of cuddling and neediness. It’s quite a chore but I’m sure you’ll manage.”

"I suppose I'll find out, once Jinyoung is awake." Jaebum sat his empty mug down and stretched, Mark and Jackson's closeness making him somewhat _miss_ Jinyoung. "I should get going, I don't want him to wake up and feel lonely."

“Good idea. I think it might get warmer in here in a bit,” Jackson said with a look over his shoulder, nuzzling the clingy werewolf. “Good thing you don’t have allergies, isn’t it? After all, you are going to have plenty of plants and flowers around from now on.”

Jaebum laughed and headed towards the door. "If I was asked what the perks of vampirism are, that would be on the top of the list." He quickly left and took the short walk back to his house - curling up with Jinyoung and dozing off until his Awakening was complete was sounding more and more appealing.

  
  


  
  



End file.
